Arms of the Ocean
by florienna
Summary: Ever since his beloved family was murdered, Yuu's dreamt of Mika being alive. Over the years their dream meetings won't stop reoccurring with Mika growing older alongside Yuu. Fate must love being cruel to Yuu because there's no way his dreams are real. After all, dreams are made up in your own head and Mika is dead...right?
1. Abandonment

_And the arms of the ocean so sweet and so cold_

 _And all this devotion I never knew at all_

 _And the crashes are heaven for a sinner released_

 _And the arms of the ocean delivered me_

 _Never let me go_

\- Never Let Me Go by Florence and the Machine

* * *

Song playlist: No Tears by James Blunt

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **Abandonment**

/əˈband(ə)nmənt/

1\. ceasing to support or look after (someone); deserting

2\. condemning someone or something to (a specified fate) by ceasing to take an interest in them

* * *

"He's the child of the devil! I can't live with him any longer, having to look at that creature and being reminded every day."

"It's your fault, you're the one who caused this! If only you hadn't been such a whore before we met, God wouldn't have punished you with that diseased child. How many people did you used to spread your legs for, huh?"

"What do you mean _my_ fault? You're the one who's been swindling all your clients in that fraud company of yours. _You're_ the one who's being punished-"

"Don't you bring my work into this you little bitch. I pay the bills in this relationship and here you are being ungrateful, you stupid woman-"

The argument rapidly erupted into a mess of yelling too jumbled to make out the exact words. It didn't really make a difference since neither of them was listening to each other by this point, a primal competition over who could scream the loudest.

Upstairs the sound of soft sobs and hiccups went unheard, too quiet and too unimportant to the married couple. The bedroom was small, bare, only filled with the basic essentials. Underneath the wooden bed eight year old Yuu had managed to squeeze himself away from the world. His tiny hands were clenched over his ears tight enough to make them smart red but he still couldn't block out the shouting.

"It's not my fault, I didn't do anything, it's not my fault," Yuu whispered to himself. He wished he was brave enough to go downstairs say those words to his parents. Maybe they would understand then.

SMASH!

The sound of something shattering rang out from below.

Yuu flinched violently like he'd been hit. He immediately squeezed his eyes shut and began babbling hysterically, "It's all my fault, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…"

If he said sorry enough, would God make his parents love him?

Why didn't his parents love him?

The hot tears stung his cheeks and his throat constricted like _he couldn't breathe_.

Burying his face in his hands, Yuu took in shuddering deep breaths. He tried to focus on the shaky rhythm of in, out, in, out. As his breathing began to even, a confident tap-tap of knuckles against hard wood cut through the noise. A sharp silence fell upon the house like a heavy stage curtain.

A moment of thick silence, then the tell tale click-clack of his mother's high heels walking up to answer the door.

An unknown deep male voice cut in before his mother could greet the person.

"Mrs Amane?"

"Yes, what do you-"

"I'm a representative of the Hyakuya Orphanage to talk to you about reports of you abusing your child."

"…"

"May I come in?" The sound of the man's voice coming clearer, entering before he had even finished speaking. "Thank you. Let's sit down and have a discussion with your husband, shall we?"

The last words Yuu heard before the living room door was shut and the voices became muffled in secrecy were, "You don't need to inconvenience yourself by serving tea."

His mother hadn't spoken a word.

* * *

A very short five minutes later, the door to Yuu's bedroom creaked open. Yuu burrowed deeper beneath his bed with a racing heart. He had to hide, he didn't want his parents to find him and hit him again. He stilled himself, as quiet as a rabbit.

All he could see was a silhouette standing straight and tall in his doorway. His parents would turn around at this point, seeing the darkness of the room with the curtains arranged shut and the cold lightbulb switched off. They would glance at the empty bed and presume Yuu was outside somewhere. With who, where, why- those were unnecessary concerns to them.

But this person wasn't put off by the darkness. They embraced it, completely at ease as they strode inside without hesitation. The curtains were methodically pulled apart, letting light into Yuu's room.

"I know you're under the bed. Come out."

Defeated and more than a little curious, Yuu had a faint blush as he poked his head out to peer warily at the stranger.

Dressed in a black suit and tie, the man was tall and well built like a bodyguard or security enforcer. His face was unassuming and generic, hard to pin down in a crowd. Yet he looked powerful with the blinding white daylight illuminating his body as he stood with his back to the window.

"Yuichiro Hyakuya. I'm here to escort you to your new home."

And then he smiled.

* * *

Yuu felt like his life had been flipped upside down as he packed his few belongings into a shopping bag. A few pairs of clothes, his toothbrush and his favourite blue crayon. The man stood at his back, waiting for Yuu to finish like a guard dog.

In the span of a few minutes Yuu was standing outside his house with his bag in hand and the door slammed shut after him.

Unable to hold his tongue any longer, Yuu spun around and burst, "What's going on? Where am I going? What's going to happen to me?"

"Let's start walking, shall we?"

"Hey, answer my questions!"

The man had began to walk off and Yuu jogged forward to catch up with him.

"Hey!"

"Yuchiro Hyakuya. Eight years old. Underweight. Comes to school with bruises. Living on the school's free meal plan, anti social and reported by numerous teachers and neighbours to be a suspected abuse victim."

"T-that's none of your business!"

"And so word has reached the Hyakuya Orphanage of your nature. You're being adopted by the Orphanage- you'll find a new family there."

"Family? I don't believe in that crap."

"Did you know," the man continued, undeterred by Yuu's words like a boulder. "That it took less than a minute for your parents too agree to abandon you? All it took were the words of the compensatory payment to leave my mouth, but it's highly probable they would have leapt in agreement even without it. The other four minutes were signing the paperwork for the exchange and the money transfer details."

"Why…" Yuu felt stone cold. His heart felt like it was clenched in a vice. "Why are you telling me this?"

The man looked down at Yuu's wavering scowl. His eyes were neutral, just like his tone from the moment he had stepped through the door. His expression didn't change an inch as he knelt down and wiped a stray tear from Yuu's eyes.

"Because they abandoned you. Because you need love, no you crave love. You must find love Yuuchiro Hyakuya and you'll find it in your new home. The other children are all like you- hurt strays looking for someone to hold on to. They're your new family who'll never leave you."

Those words coming from a man with a blank face and blank name dug deep into Yuu's heart. They stayed there buried so deep he couldn't remove them even if he tried.

And so Yuu lowered his head and followed the man without further protest, being led like a lamb into the warm building of the Hyakuya Orphange and to the one with the blindingly sunny smile who would become the most important person in his life.

"Hi! I'm Michaela! You're said you're eight, right? Same as me! Eight year old kids are the eldest here at the orphanage, so let's be friends!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:** I had an idea for a 07 Ghost and D Gray Man crossover which I've held in my mind for years. I had that crossover planned in lots of detail and grew really attached to it, but it never got written because I didn't have the writing skill back then. Now I find that story too cliche and it's been too long since I was into those series for me to write a decent fic for it.

So that's why I wanted to use that story to take elements from it and turn it into a fic for a series I know enough about to write about- Owari no Seraph. I have the whole basic plot outlined and it looks like it'll be a lot of chapters, but I hope it turns out well! The aim is to focus on the bond between Yuu and Mika and to explore their emotions, but it'll also be very plot heavy and full of drama.

Also I want to make it clear that this fic is inspired by 07 Ghost but YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW 07 GHOST TO ENJOY THIS STORY. It only takes a certain part of that series and uses a lot of creative license with it, so it's going to be end up different to 07 Ghost anyway.

What's going to be taken from 07 Ghost? When is Yuu going to have dreams of Mika? It will all be revealed in future chapters! Please make my heart happy and leave a review!


	2. Friendship

Song playlist: Home by Phillip Phillips

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

 **Friendship**

/ˈfrɛn(d)ʃɪp/

1\. the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being friends

[a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard]

* * *

"Everyone here at the orphanage is paired up by age and shares a bedroom together. That way you have a new friend already when you first arrive. Isn't that lovely?"

The director of the Hyakuya Orphanage was a kindly woman with the chubby cheeks and stomach that inevitably came with middle age. She wore a homely apron tied in a bow and an equally homely smile. Her hand was a large warm presence on Yuu's back as she guided him along the upstairs corridor.

Yuu didn't reply, too occupied in his internal conflict over whether he liked the comforting touch or whether he wanted to knock it away.

"Yuu, you're quite the daydreamer aren't you?"

"Ah, um," Yuu snapped to attention, eyes flickering to those good-natured eyes before averting them quickly. "Sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine. Everyone is a bit shaken up when they come here, but you'll feel at home straight away. Isn't that right Mika?"

"Yup!"

Yuu jumped in surprise at the voice from behind him. "Wait, what is _he_ doing here?"

Mikaela. The jerk who he'd gotten in a fight with and _lost_ \- that disarming smile of his didn't match his strength _at all_. What the hell?

And then he went and said Yuu would have a big family too now. Why did everyone keep saying that? His family had abused him and then abandoned him without speaking a single word to him. What was so great about having a family anyway?

"Silly Yuu, I've been following you from the start! You're such an airhead, honestly."

"Oi!"

"No fighting allowed, boys."

"We're not fighting, we're becoming friends!"

"…Are you seriously still using that excuse?" Yuu muttered lowly in disbelief. This guy was a real piece of work. Was he dropped on his head as a baby or something?

"Well Yuu, here's your room! The youngest children have the rooms closest to the stairs so we can reach them easier if they need diaper changing or milk, so as one of the oldest children your room is right at the end of the corridor. But don't worry, it's all fair because the furthest rooms have the best view of the back garden.

The director stopped to turn the doorknob and opened the door wide.

Yuu couldn't stop staring. _This_ was where he got to stay?

To anyone else, they would have seen a fairly normal sized bedroom but to Yuu, who had lived all his life hiding in a cramped dusty room, it looked _huge_.

The walls were a peaceful sky blue with wide striped wallpaper patterned with stars and clouds. All the furniture was made from cherry wood, giving a warm and inviting atmosphere. Two single beds were piled with fluffy pillows and blankets, and a few plush toys. Opposite them were two matching desks with one already stacked with books, two wardrobes and a full bookcase.

But what really entranced Yuu was the french windows pouring sunshine inside and revealing a beautiful garden outside. He found himself magnetised over to the sill to get a better look at the swings and playground sitting in the grass, the green swaying trees, the blooming flowers and the floating clouds.

"Yuu, your jaw is dropped wideee open."

"S-shut up!" A fierce blush flushed over Yuu as he dragged his gaze away from the window and back to the director and Mika.

"You two need to get along now," the director said warmly. "After all, Mika is the one you'll be spending the most time with Yuu."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Like I said earlier, roommates are paired by age," the director explained patiently.

"Yeah."

"Mika only arrived a week ago so he's new like you. All the other children already have a partner and he was the oldest, so we decided to let him have his own room until someone new came."

"Uh huh."

"So it's such good luck that you're the same age as him! It's harder when roommates have a big age gap but you don't have to worry about that at all."

"Wait…so you mean…?"

"That's right!" Mika beamed. "I'm your new roommate! We're going to have so much fun together!"

Yuu wanted to groan.

* * *

"Come sit next to me!"

Yuu's hand was grabbed tightly and he was pulled by Mika into the seat next to him. He had unpacked his few belongings away leading to the director fussing over him and promising to take him clothes shopping that weekend. He had never felt so embarrassed before, but at the same time…it was kind of…nice.

Was this what it was like to have a proper mother? Someone who wore an apron and nagged you and gave you kisses? Yuu's mother at home had never kissed him, but the director had gently pulled him into a hug and kissed his head before she left to prepare dinner.

It had felt warm, like a chocolate truffle melting in your mouth.

Now dusk had settled bathing the horizon in its violet hues. A strange magical atmosphere swept over Yuu as he sat at the dinner table. Here he was, at a table laden heavy with food and camaraderie in the air.

"What's wrong, Yuu? You're not eating," Mika noticed immediately from his side.

"You have to eat! It's the number one rule!" one of the younger girls declared loudly.

"That's right Yuu. Here you have lots of freedom and we don't like being strict, but one of our few rules is that you have to eat dinner. Looking after your health is important after all," the director explained with a smile. She was sitting at the head of the table, with the youngest toddlers being fed under her supervision.

"Oh, okay…" Yuu began to pile rice onto his dinner plate. "It's just that…I've never seen so much food before. Is it like this every day?"

"Of course," the director smile turned sympathetically understanding. On anyone else Yuu would have felt irritated but the director somehow made it look soothing. "You'll never go hungry here Yuuichiro. We look after our family with all our heart."

"Isn't it expensive though? How can you pay for all of this, looking after all these children and everything?"

"We're a privately funded organisation so don't worry about it. There are a lot of rich people who are interested in poor children like you with nowhere else to go. So don't be shy in asking for whatever you need Yuu. "

"Enough talking! More eating!" a toddler yelled, striking his spoon royally in the air. Everyone burst into laughter and a smile began to tug at the corner of Yuu's lips.

"What's this?" Mika latched sneakily onto Yuu's back with his arms wrapped around his neck. "Is that a smile I see? Is it?"

"You…" Yuu trembled silently, his body vibrating in his seat.

"Yes?"

"GET OFF ME!"

* * *

"I can't believe you got me into trouble," Yuu grumbled. "I had to clear up all the dishes with you…so the director can be strict after all. 'Get along with your roommate punishment' my ass."

"Don't you feel we're getting along better now?"

"You little shit… Your personality doesn't match your face at all."

Both of them were tucked in their beds in their pajamas, and thick blankets drawn to their chins. It turned out bedtime at eight pm was another one of the few rules of the Hyakuya Orphanage, since breakfast was served early at eight am on weekdays.

Sleep hadn't fully lulled either of the boys yet so both of them were lying on their backs gazing at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.

"Why did the director take those pills at the end of dinner? Is she sick? It looked like she didn't want the other kids to notice."

"Oh, so you noticed," Mika murmured. "I noticed too the first day I came here. I asked her and she said they're vitamins to help keep her body healthy. The older you are, the more at risk you are to health problems if you don't eat properly and exercise. I learnt that in school you know."

"You go to school?"

"Yup, all the kids older than six have to go to our local elementary school. The director will probably arrange for you to start there soon."

Yuu made a vague noise of interest at the back of his throat. A comfortable silence descended between them while the stars glowed their lazy neon light.

"…Hey, Mika…"

"Mm?"

"Why are you trying so hard to be friends with me? You haven't stopped bothering me all day. I'm not cheerful or kind or sociable like you… all the other kids run to you whenever you enter a room. Why don't you find someone better from them?"

"Yuu…" Their eyes met as they had turned in unison to face each other, one face uncertain and the other uncharacteristically serious. "I want _you_. They're my precious family, but you're something even more special…Didn't you feel it when we first shook hands? Don't you feel it now?"

"Yeah…"

It was that hot feeling in his heart, that spark that had ignited like two elements being let loose from their constraints and leaping to react together. Mika could be annoying and infuriating and drive him crazy, but at the same time he made Yuu feel _right_.

"It's like we're long lost brothers, or soul mates," Mika whispered. "Maybe we are. But whatever we are, we're friends now. I'm not letting you go."

"…Friends, huh? I've never had a friend before."

"It's decided then!"

Yuu couldn't stop smiling then, the first full smile in his new life at the orphanage. Mika had already decided that by himself from the moment they had met. It felt inevitable that Yuu would be dragged along into this friendship-Mika was like a force of nature unto himself.

And he found that deep inside, he didn't mind. He didn't mind at all.

Closing his eyes, Yuu settled deeper in his bed and mumbled, "Good night, Mika."

"Good night, Yuu."

He was finally pulled him into a deep, restful sleep.


	3. Family

Song playlist: Rainbow Veins by Owl City

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **Family**

/ˈfamɪli/

1\. a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for

2\. a group of people who are generally not blood relations but who share common attitudes, interests, or goals and, frequently, live together

* * *

 _Ding a-ling a-ling, ding a-ling a-ling!_

The chimes of a hand held bell being rung dragged Yuu into the world of the living. What…?

"Rise and shine! It's morning time!" the director's voice called from behind the bedroom door. The bell carried on ringing, fading out as its ringer walked down the corridor.

Yuu felt weirdly disorientated as he stared at the starry ceiling. That's right…he wasn't in his bedroom at home. He was living in the orphanage now. The rustle and murmurs of the other children climbing out of their beds filtered through the walls.

Clasping his hands above his head, Yuu arched himself like a cat as he stretched his body. Inhale, hold for a few seconds, let the arms drop down, exhale. Ready to start his day, Yuu shook his arms loose and pushed himself out of bed-

-only to stumble as a sudden wave of vertigo washed over him.

"Woah, woah, woah!," he yelped, trying to catch himself on Mika's mattress. Cue some flailing before falling face down on the carpet.

Yuu groaned loudly. He flopped over on his back only to freeze as Mika's sleepy blue eyes caught him red handed.

"…"

"…?"

" _Don't_. Not a _single_ word."

"…Mm."

"Hey, what's up with you?" Mika only gave him a bleary, muddled look in reply as if Yuu had just asked him to recite all of pi in less than ten seconds. 'I don't know what you want from me,' that look seemed to say. 'I am a lost soul in this overwhelming and confusing world.'

"Yuu, you're actually surprisingly funny," one of the girls giggled at breakfast. Akane, that's what she said her name was. She looked pretty in a simple and plain way, with her brown hair braided into a side plait over her shoulder and tied with a pink bunny bobble. "That's not what Mika's thinking at all, he's always like this in the mornings. He's just tired."

"So he's not a morning person, huh. Who would have known. He looks like the type to be annoyingly hyper twenty-four seven."

"I know right? Maybe he just uses up all his energy and has none left in the mornings. I think he's pretty cute like this actually, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess…" Yuu glanced over at the topic of their discussion who was currently staring at his spoon as if he'd never seen such a device before. Yuu was half worried Mika would simply give up and flop over face first into his cereal.

"Don't worry, once Mika starts eating he wakes up by himself."

"What a weirdo…"

"Eat your food everyone, the older children need to get ready for school," the director reminded them kindly. From her motherly smile, Yuu could tell she was definitely a morning person.

"Yeeeesss," came the drawn out chorus of replies.

As the children stuffed their faces with cereal, toast, eggs and the other delicacies laid out the director turned to Yuu. "Yuu, I've arranged for you to enrol in the same school as everyone else next Monday. We always give children a few days to settle down and get along with their new family first. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Yeah, sure."

But Yuu still felt a bit lost when he breakfast was over- where was he supposed to go? What was he supposed to do? He didn't know any of the other children so he ended trailing after Mika upstairs like a baby duckling.

Yuu lounged on his stomach on his bed as he watched the phenomenon that was Mika waking up in gradual stages of awareness. By the time he had changed into his uniform and was pulling on his sunny yellow hat, Mika was his usual cheerful self.

"I'm so excited for you to start at Hiruma Elementary School! We can walk together to school then and share packed lunches and sit next to each other in class. No one else in our family is in my class, you know. I always wanted someone to join me."

"I bet you're friends with the whole class though. You seem like the popular guy type."

"Yup! Yuu you're quite observant sometimes, aren't you?"

"You're not even trying to be humble at all- wait, what do you mean 'sometimes'?!"

Mika only laughed deflectively and abruptly switched the topic to, "So how did you sleep last night?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I slept okay. Actually I slept _really_ well. I didn't wake up at all so it must have been one really deep sleep. Maybe it's because the mattress, pillows and blanket are so much softer than what I'm used to."

"A deep sleep huh…" A strange look shuttered over Mika's face, a look which would take many years for Yuu to recognise as Mika trying to hide his thoughts. But to the Yuu at this point, it simply looked vaguely contemplative.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's just that I'm a really light sleeper. I usually wake up in the middle of the night every so often. But ever since I arrived here last week I haven't woken up a single time."

"You're worrying too much. Isn't sleeping well a good thing? The bedding must be helping you too."

"You're right," Mika grinned widely. "Bedding can really make a big difference, can't it? Let's go downstairs!"

Yuu didn't see Mika's smile waver as he turned his back and led them out of the door.

* * *

"Bye bye! Have fun in school!"

The toddlers were waving enthusiastically at the door of the orphanage- in fact they were waving with so much energy Yuu could picture their arms flying off if they waved any harder. Standing at the gates were the children aged six and over who were old enough to attend elementary school- Mika, Akane and a third girl who Yuu didn't know. They beamed waved back before walking down the pavement with their packed lunches bundled in their hands.

"Hey, who's she? The one with the round glasses and short black hair?"

"That's Kagame, she's the same age as Akane so they're in the same class. That's right, you haven't been introduced to everyone yet." The director looked surprised at her own forgetfulness. "Okay everyone, line up for your older brother Yuu now!"

"Okaaay!"

The other four kids scrambled and shuffled in a vague semblance of line that made the director shake her head fondly and laugh.

"Now introduce yourself one by one please, name and age."

"I'm Ken, I'm two," mumbled a boy clinging shyly behind his friend

"You always speak too quiet Ken! Speak louder!" the other boy puffed. Yuu recognised him as the one who had made everyone laugh at dinner last night. "I'm Jun and I'm going to be three in June!"

"We'll have a nice big birthday cake for you, dear," the director smiled making Jun bounce in excitement. "Come on girls, you too."

"I'm three, my name's Rika," introduced one of the girls with a short hair bob and a blush on her face.

"Why am I last? That's not fair!" the other girl grumbled before breaking into a ear splitting grin. "I'm Sora and I'm four! Welcome to our family Yuu! You're going to be our big brother now, right?"

"Um…" Yuu felt blinded by the shining expectant faces of the children as they crowded right up into his space. "S-sure. Yeah. I'll be your big brother, I guess?"

"Yaay! Yuu, Yuu, guess what, come look my drawings!"

"No fair, Yuu's gonna look at _my_ drawings! Come on!"

"Wait, woah," Yuu's protests went unheard as his arms were manhandled by four different sets of tiny arms and he was dragged inside. How the hell were small kids so strong?!

He turned his head and shot a frantic look at the director. She smiled and said benevolently, "I'm so happy you're getting along with your new family. Lunch is in a few hours, okay?"

Yuu was completely at their mercy.

Someone, anyone, please save him!

* * *

"Ahahaha!"

"S-stop laughing at me!"

Mika was actually rolling on the floor, his hysterical laughter loud and clear. He managed to calm down slightly before looking at Yuu and breaking into a fresh wave of laughter.

"Seriously, I'm gonna kill you!"

"Sorry, sorry," Mika chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye.

"You're not sorry at all, you little shit."

"Don't be mean now Yuu. But really, I can't take anything you say seriously when you look like that."

Yuu thought his blush couldn't get any deeper. Evidently he was wrong.

It had all started out so normal too. Sure the kids had been eager to show their new brother their drawings but they had managed to occupy themselves for a good hour or two with their crayons and coloured paper in the playroom.

Yuu blamed this all on that chocolate cake. More specifically, the chocolate cake that had been served for dessert after lunch. If his new found family had been excitable before, it was nothing compared to those four kids on a sugar high. They had clambered over him like monkeys, the girls had pulled out hairbrushes and clips from their bedrooms and it had all deteriorated from there.

As soon as the dress was found, Yuu had babbled out an excuse about needing a nap and had run off before they could get a single word in.

"So? Are you going to stay hiding here in our bedroom then?"

"I'm not hiding."

"Whatever you say, Yuu. Whatever you say."

"I'm not."

He was totally hiding.

He had buried himself under his blankets until Mika had come back from school. Then of course Mika had to ask twenty questions over why he was buried under his sheets before simply pulling them off by brute force and then bursting into laughter.

Yuu's hair had been pulled into several sloppy bobbles that ranged from cute cartoony animals to love hearts. His lips were a glossy sparkly pink which matched nicely with the hairclips and his cheeks were dusted with a toy blusher set.

Mika crouched down to where Yuu had curled up to hide his face. "Well it does suit you, but if you hate it so much why not just take it off?"

"Then they would start crying…"

"Awww," Mika had that obnoxious grin on his face that Yuu was quickly getting used to seeing. "Yuu is a softie at heart after all! How adorable!"

"Shut up!"

Luckily all it had taken was for Yuu to (reluctantly) come down for dinner before the director took one look at his face before amusedly asking him to go and clean up.

"But big brother looks so pretty! Can't he keep it?" Sora whined. The director was shot four puppy eyed looks from the toddlers and one even more pleading look from Yuu.

"You know playtime ends at dinner time, dear. Go and wash up Yuu, there's a good boy."

Everyone else groaned in disappointment, and Yuu could have sworn Mika's was the loudest. He shot him a suspicious glare before rushing to the upstairs bathroom to fix himself.

Dinner was as noisy and chatty as the night before. Yuu dug into his food as eagerly as all the other kids but this time it was Mika who was idly picking at his food.

"Why aren't you eating?"

"Ah, I was just thinking," Mika reassured before spooning some of the jacket potatoes into his mouth.

"Don't hurt yourself. But weren't you the one to say you should look after your health? You should eat."

"Thank you for caring about me," was the soft reply.

Yuu's full dinner plate suddenly looked much more interesting to him.

* * *

"Aren't you going to sleep, Mika?" Yuu asked sleepily. He was burrowed snugly into his blanket, feeling incredibly tired.

"I want to finish this chapter." Mika was resting against his pillow with a book in his hands. It was large and thick, like a medical textbook. Yuu vaguely remembered seeing the title as they were getting ready for bed. 'Properties of Plants' or something boring and nerdy like that.

"I thought they were really strict about bedtime. One of those few rules."

"It's fine if they don't find out."

"So you're not…as goody-goody two shoes…as you look…"

"I can practically hear you half entering your dream world. Go to sleep Yuu, you're tired."

"Yeah, I am…I didn't even do that much active stuff today…good night, Mika…" Yuu trailed off before his eyes fluttered shut, falling asleep in seconds.

Mika frowned at him, a million thoughts racing through his head. He turned his gaze back to his book and tried to carry on reading, because he needed to research more and find out...but the words were blurring together like an out of focus camera...

He blinked rapidly, trying his best to stay awake...

The textbook slipped from his fingers and onto the floor as he too fell asleep.


	4. Home

Song playlist: I'll Take Everything by James Blunt* [open to other song recommendations by reviewers]

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Home**

/həʊm/

1\. the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household

2i. an environment offering security and happiness

ii. a valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin

* * *

"Oof!"

Mika's morning began with the muffled sound of a body thudding. He slowly blinked awake at the sight of his new roommate sprawled on the floor.

He blinked again.

It was far too early for…anything. Just _anything_.

He very deliberately shut his eyes and for the first time since moving to the orphanage, forced himself back to sleep.

* * *

"Hey, where's Mika?"

"Wait, he's not here!"

"Oh dear, I didn't even notice he was missing because he's always so quiet at breakfast. Be a dear Yuu and go wake him up please, he's going to be late."

"Yeah, okay."

"Mika is a silly sleepyhead!" Jun's voice floated faintly from downstairs, followed by distant giggles.

Said person was lying wide awake in bed, having spent the last five minutes watching the clock and waiting for the best time to 'wake up' after 'oversleeping.' Well, being woken up late by someone else would work just as well too.

He closed his eyes, relaxed his facial muscles, parted his lips and curled himself into his blanket.

"Oi, Mika!" The sound of socked feet thudding up the stairs grew louder and louder, followed by the door slamming open tactlessly. "You've overslept. Come on, wake up already!"

"Mm…?"

"Wake up!" Yuu's voice repeated determinedly.

"Mmmm….."

"Seriously man, you're never gonna get to school on time if you spend ages half awake like yesterday."

Mika didn't reply, simply sitting up in bed and pulling on his best dazed face. He heard Yuu click his tongue in frustration before the pitcher of water by their bedside was grabbed and dumped over Mika's head.

Mika yelped very loudly.

"AAH THAT'S COLD!"

"Well you should have gotten up then!"

"I was up! Yuu, you're so c-cruel!" Mika's baby blue eyes teared up as he sat there soaking wet, chin lowered and trembling.

"H-hey, shit, don't cry, oh god," Yuu broke into nervous babbles while waving his hands in the air as if he didn't know what to do with them. "I'm sorry, just don't start crying-"

"Pfffft," Mika couldn't hold his snickers in any longer. "Just kidding! You're so cute when you're flustered, Yuu."

" _Why you_ -"

"That was my payback, are you going to complain? What if I catch a cold later?"

"…do it again and I'll get mad for real."

"Sure, sure, well at least I'm awake now. I have to hurry," Mika sighed.

"Mika? Are you ready?" Akane called up from downstairs.

"Five more minutes!"

And what a crazy five minutes they were. Rushing around in a frenzy to wash his face, pull on his uniform and grab his bag, Mika managed to dash downstairs in the nick of time.

"Geez Mika, talk about cutting it close," Yuu grumbled behind him as Mika pulled on his shoes.

"You haven't even had any breakfast," the director fussed worriedly next to him. "You poor dear, you must be so hungry. Eating breakfast is very important, Mika."

"It's okay," Mika smiled good-naturedly. "I'll be fine. I'm not that hungry anyway."

"Make sure you eat all of your lunch, okay? I've packed extra rice for you while you were getting ready."

"Thank you!"

* * *

"Mika, come eat with us!"

"Hey, Mika already ate with you yesterday! He's going to sit at our table today, right?"

Hiruma Elementary School was a white painted public school nestled at the end of a street of shops and grocery stalls. Its wooden picket fence was painted with red and blue flowers and it had a playground with a set of colourful plastic swings and slides. Mika had only been attending for less than a week and already half the class were clamouring over who got to sit next to him.

"Sorry everyone, I've got reading homework to do. I'm going to the library this lunch."

The fence around the school protected children from wandering outside, so the older classes were allowed to eat their lunch outside the lunch hall if they wanted to. Seeing the disappointed looks blooming, Mika flashed a dazzling smile and quickly left the lunch hall before anyone could argue further.

"Mika is so smart, he can already read big books," Mika heard someone say adoringly as he walked off.

He had noticed how everyone he met seemed drawn to him like a magnet, liking him and giving him their love with alarming speed. In fact, the only other person who was the same as him was Yuu. Mika remembered how all the other children back home instantly flocked to Yuu, pulling him by his hands all the time and wanting to impress him.

To Mika, it was only further confirmation that he was right to choose Yuu as his best friend. They fit together perfectly like two halves of a whole.

Mika's thoughts wandered to how Yuu had tripped over again after he woke up that morning…

Stormy clouds were gathering in the sky as Mika stepped outside. The winter air was chilly like goose bumps on his skin. Mika stuffed his hands casually in his pockets as he strolled across the playground, straight past the library entrance and towards the dumpsters behind the schoolyard.

The playground was empty. Good.

Shuffling behind the wall and out of sight of all windows, Mika knelt down to unzip his backpack. He unwrapped his packed lunch from its smiley face patterned cloth, pried open the lid and dumped the contents into the garbage bins.

* * *

 _Riiiiinnnnggg!_

"Well girls and boys, that's the bell. It's hometime now, don't forget to put on your coats if you're not staying for after school clubs!"

The classroom broke into loud chatter as Mika's class officially ended. Half the kids milled about waiting for their clubs to start, while the other half pushed and shoved and stampeded outside to the chargin of the teachers.

"Bye Mika!"

"See you tomorrow Mika!"

"Yup, see you!" Mika waved happily. From the open door across the corridor he could see Akane and Kagame tying each other's aprons as the cooking club members trailed in.

Soon Mika was milling along the shopping street, having an hour of free time before the girls' club ended and they could all walk home together. Crowds of people were coming and going, from little children in their yellow elementary hats to office workers in suits and ties. In largeness of numbers, faces became blurred and anonymity could be worn like a mask.

A growl rumbled savagely from Mika's stomach. A young mother with a pram gave him a concerned look. Mika smiled fleetingly, bit his lip and ducked into the shop before him.

He soon found what he was looking for. Mika dug out his wallet and counted his £5 weekly allowance from the director, as well as the bits of change he had found lying around when he was living with his parents. If he used every last yen, it could just barely pay for what he needed.

Mika's stomach voiced its protest again. There were rows of sweets and chocolates and crisps in front of the counter, calling out for Mika to curb his hunger and indulge in the luxurious taste.

He walked outside the store with a still empty stomach and his purchase made.

* * *

"Wow, this all look so delicious!"

"That's right, I cooked extra food today because Mika missed breakfast. Come on, eat up everyone!"

Everyone grabbed for the dishes of food, piling their plates up high and eating with a hungry fervour. Yuu looked as amazed as yesterday at all the food with his eyes shining. Next to him Mika wanted to be sick, but he plastered on a cheerful smile and poured himself some light vegetable soup.

"It's good! This is seriously good!" Yuu was praising the director. Mika could almost see a puppy tail on him wagging happily.

"Why, thank you Yuu. That makes me very happy. Did you enjoy the books I gave you to read today?"

"Yeah, they were nice." Mika thought Yuu looked rather relieved to have had an excuse today not the 'play' with the toddlers.

"It looks like your reading and writing needs some improvement but you'll catch up quicker once you start school next week."

"Don't worry Yuu, I'll help you too. You can sit next to me in class and with my top grades you'll find things super easier."

"Your humbleness is something else, really…"

Soon stomachs were filled, the table cleared and good nights wished as the children climbed up the stairs to their beds. Yuu yawned widely as they made the longest journey to the end of the corridor and to their bedroom. He scruffed his face with his hand and began to pull out his pajamas.

"You can change in here Yuu, I'll use the bathroom."

"That's so prudish, but yeah okay."

Mika softly shut the bathroom door and turned the lock. With a shaky breath, he knelt before the toilet and carefully tucked his blonde hair behind his ears.

He slipped his hand into to the back of his mouth and threw up.

 _Bang, bang!_

Someone was knocking on the bathroom door.

"Mika?! Are you okay?" Yuu was calling worriedly.

"I-" Mika stopped to cough out the bile stuck in his throat. "I'm fine, Yuu."

"Really? I thought I heard you throwing up."

"It was just the toilet flushing, everything's fine, don't worry."

"Bullshit. I know the sound of someone throwing up when I hear it." Mika cursed under his breath; of all the times Yuu had to be sharp, it just had to be now.

"Open the door Mika."

"You're just imagining things Yuu."

"Open. the. door."

A stubborn pause from both sides as neither refused to give, and then, "This is all my fault. I emptied that jug of water on you this morning and now you're sick. I'm going to call the director-"

"No, wait!" Mika almost fell over himself in his hurry to unlock the door and fling it open. "Don't call her!"

Yuu took one look at Mika's pale face and the unflushed toilet behind him before turning to fetch the director.

Mika wrapped his arms tight around Yuu from behind and pleaded again, "Please don't tell her Yuu!"

"Mika…" Yuu looked painfully conflicted as they remained frozen like statues, Yuu half way to the door and Mika clinging on to him desperately.

Finally, just as Mika thought his heart was about to burst, Yuu sighed and dragged them both on his bed. Yuu had his arms crossed as he sat on the edge of the mattress, fixing Mika with a serious stare.

"What's going on Mika?"

"I…" Mika seemed to shrink in on himself, before sitting up with a determined look. "It's going to sound crazy, but…"

"I won't know until you tell me Mika. I'll listen to you. Isn't that what friends are supposed to do?"

"I think the director is drugging our food," Mika said in a rush as if a huge secret had been pushed off his chest.

"…"

"…say something. Please."

"You're right, that does sound crazy. Completely, utterly, one hundred percent crazy."

Mika groaned. "See, I knew you'd be like this!"

"Seriously? Are you actually serious? Mika, I think you have a fever." Yuu clasped his hand over Mika's forehead and frowned. "Well, it _is_ a bit warm…That's it, you're going to bed and I'm going to get you some hot soup from downstairs."

Mika grabbed onto Yuu's shoulders tight and looked at him dead on. "Yuu, you don't understand. Just listen to me! The director has been obsessed with making sure we eat the meals they give us. On the first day you came we both didn't eat that much and it took us a while to fall asleep, right?"

"Right…" Yuu said reluctantly, looking more like he was humouring Mika for now than taking him seriously.

"But on the second day we both ate a lot of food at dinner and you fell asleep in seconds. I couldn't stay awake either, even though I could stay up till morning reading when I was living with my parents."

"Two days isn't enough time to say for sure Mika. Maybe it was just a coincidence."

"But I've been here for more than a week now and I've noticed the same pattern. Don't you think it's strange we never hear any of the toddlers wake up and cry at night? Don't you think it's strange for me to go into such a deep sleep every night when I'm a light sleeper?"

"So you think the food is drugged, then…?"

"Yes. That's what I think. There are drugs from plants that can be tasteless and easily mixed with food to put you unconscious, even after a time delay of an hour or so. I've done the research, I know what I'm talking about Yuu."

"I don't know…" Yuu looked unhappy under Mika's hard, desperate gaze. "It just all sounds too crazy and far fetched. The director is a nice person. I don't think she would do that. This place is supposed to be our home now, isn't it?"

"I see…" Mika let his hands drop from Yuu's shoulders and looked down at his lap. He said quietly, "So you're the type who trusts people easily, Yuu…"

"What's wrong with that? Anyway, is that why you haven't eaten anything today?"

Mika nodded. Yuu sighed again and reached over to grasp Mika's hands within his own.

"Mika…you can't do this. You can't starve yourself like this. Let's say it _is_ all true and the food is making us fall asleep. What's wrong with that? No one's getting hurt. It's better to eat the food than go hungry."

"It's suspicious, that's what's wrong. The kids here are my family but I don't trust this orphanage."

"Mika…"

"One night. Just give me one night Yuu, and I'll prove it to you. Don't you trust me?"

There was no hesitation as Yuu said firmly, "I trust you. Geez fine, I won't tell the director then but as soon as it's morning tomorrow you're going to eat again, even if I have to tie you up and feed you with a spoon."

"You're such a brute Yuu," Mika teased and with that the mood lightened up.

"I'm being serious, you know...Go to bed Mika…" Yuu trailed off sleepily. Mika watched him as he climbed into his bed and fell asleep- in seconds.

Mika's chest was tight as he himself changed and climbed into bed. It felt like he had been rejected when Yuu didn't believe him, a deep rejection that made his heart feel sad. It didn't matter though. He'd get his evidence and prove to Yuu that he was right.

Lying down on his pillow, Mika reached into his shirt and felt for the device he had bought earlier. Unassuming and white, the sound recorder blended well into his white and blue striped pyjamas. It was tiny, the size of his thumb or smaller, and was clipped to an inside seam of his shirt away from sight.

Mika pressed down the record button hard and settled in for a vigilant, sleepless night.


	5. Illusion

Song playlist: Best Laid Plans by James Blunt * [open to other song recommendations by reviewers]

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Illusion**

/ɪˈluːʒ(ə)n/

1\. an instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience

2\. something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality

* * *

Something was happening.

Mika held his breath.

How long had passed since Yuu had fallen asleep? Ten minutes, or maybe longer? It was hard to read the wall clock in the cloak of darkness- but it didn't matter right now.

Ears straining, Mika listened to the corridor coming to life outside. The low rumble of unknown adult voices, doors being opened one by one, a strange rattling noise. As the footsteps began to approach Mika and Yuu's door, Mika quickly shut his eyes.

Within seconds the door creaked open and the room was invaded.

Mika pretended to be asleep. He felt rather than saw a foreign presence come closer to the two beds, before halting and reciting flatly, "TYO-M-08-298, TYO-M-08-299. Attendance round completed. Transfer the last two subjects."

It took all his willpower not to flinch as Mika's body was abruptly lifted up without warning. He was methodically carried over and laid flat on a chilly surface, like a corpse being lowered into its grave.

Keep still. Keep still. Don't move. Be a lifeless body, keep your eyes shut, breathe deeply and evenly, Mika chanted in his head to keep calm. He quenched the fluttering panic rising in his heart as his limbs were detachedly arranged by plastic gloved hands and his chest strapped down tight.

Then he was moving.

The rattling he heard earlier was vibrating through his body now, along with the squeaks and judders of rubber wheels. Mika realised he must be being pushed on some kind of trolley, and from the sound of a second trolley following close behind Yuu was probably being taken too.

The million yen question was _where_?

His body tilted and would have slipped down if it weren't for the strap binding his chest to the trolley. They were going downhill, even though Mika had been certain the only way downstairs in the orphanage was the staircase. Did that mean there was a hidden passageway?

"Passcode required," an automated voice stated evenly.

Seven mechanical beeps of buttons being pressed reached Mika's ears, and then the hiss of metal doors sliding open.

It was like a bubble had been burst. Voices flooded through, accompanied with the whirs and bleeps of electronic machines. The blinding white lighting illuminated through Mika's eyelids with a clinical, surgical harshness.

Mika's trolley was pushed further inside, twisting and turning corners until it finally stopped.

He waited for the footsteps to fade out before warily peering through slit eyes.

All clear- the strangers had left.

Mika shot up with wide, shocked eyes- only to be caged by his straps. He grit his teeth- hehated being restrained (it bought back memories of his parents, hands squeezing his wrists in a literally bruising grip, the _hits that rained down_ -)- and deftly undid the buckles with stumbling fingers.

They fell limp, dangling to the tiled floor.

Jumping off the trolley, Mika spun around trying to take in his surroundings. He was in a metal walled room. The trolley he had been lying on was nestled in a hub of complicated looking machines with detailed graphs and charts attached. There were shelves cluttered with measured liquid containers, injection needles, scalpels and countless more equipment. Stands of IVs lined the walls with their half used sacs and the tiled floor was speckled with faded red stains.

It was like a hospital room, but with less fluffy blankets and more pointy objects.

Mika pinched himself. _Hard_.

"Ouch!"

So this wasn't some crazy ridiculous dream then. What was going on?!

Mika paced back and forth, gnawing his lip as he wrung his brain out. If the trolley went downhill, the Hyakuya Orphanage must have some sort of underground basement especially since there wasn't a single window in sight. If he had heard more trolleys upstairs, were the other kids kidnapped from their bedrooms too?

He had to find them.

Mika cautiously tested the doorhandle, meeting no resistance or lock. He slid it open inch by inch, peering warily for anyone on the other side. Lit by tinged green lighting above, Mika scanned the rows and rows of ominously shut doors.

The corridor was definitely empty.

In a flash Mika dashed over to the door closest to him and ducked his head in line with the thin gap at the bottom of the door. No shoes in sight. The room was safe to enter.

Mika slipped through- and froze rigid.

He had found Akane.

Her room was exactly identical to the one Mika had just escaped. The same machinery, the same hospital equipment, the same blood stained floor. The only difference was the IV puncturing Akane's arm as she laid on her trolley like a morbid twist on Sleeping Beauty. An unknown white liquid was being sucked like a leech from the IV bag and into her veins.

Mika staggered forward and reached over to shake Akane's shoulders.

"Hey! Hey, Akane, wake up! _Please_!"

She slumped back and forth in Mika's grasp like a ragdoll. No reaction at all. Mika felt a growing dread spreading over him- so he had been right all along. The food was drugging them into an unshakeable, scarily deep sleep.

A thin sheen of sweat was clinging to Akane's forehead. Mika wiped it with his hand, frowning at the sticky residue. He wanted to rip out the IV needle from Akane's arm…but he didn't know if it would make things better or worse.

Mika dragged himself out of Akane's room and took a closer look at the label on her door. TYO-F-07-297.

Six other doors had the same labels pinned to them.

TYO-F-07-296 revealed Kagame with a similar IV hooked into her arm, only with blood being sucked out instead.

TYO-F-04-295 held Sora with several deliberate cuts slashed precisely in her thighs and a thick yellow salve layered on top.

TYO-F-03-294 was Rika's room, who herself looked ghastly pale. A box of injection needles, some used and some bursting full, sat at the foot of her trolley.

TYO-M-02-293 showed Jun, linked up to so many heart rate monitors and devices that he looked like a circuit board.

With every door that Mika opened, his breathing became more erratic and his panic grew. He had to force himself not to grab every one of his family and drag them somewhere to hide. Finding out if they were all here was his top priority…

If Mika was the only one who hadn't eaten dinner, he was the only one awake. He was the only one who could save them all.

At last Mika found the last labelled door, TYO-M-02-292. The relief he felt at seeing Ken inside was warring with the worry that had been plaguing his mind since he had opened his eyes- where was Yuu?

Mika jerked at the sound of voices coming towards him. He hastily leapt to the other side of Ken's room and curled into a tight ball behind a stack of cardboard boxes.

There were people walking down the corridor.

Oh no…he had left Ken's door half open.

Heart thudding wild, Mika buried his face in his hands and stilled himself. To his immense relief, the strangers didn't seem to notice as they stalked straight past the room he was hiding in.

"Your daily report on the Hyakuya subjects will be given in meeting room 0.22."

"Understood, sir."

Wait…wasn't that voice…?

Mika waited until he was sure he was out of sight before creeping out of the room quiet as a mouse and trailing behind.

Eventually Mika found himself squeezed between a narrow gap in a wall, far enough to be safe but close enough to eavesdrop on the conversation in the meeting room.

"Report."

"The subjects have settled in completely to the Orphanage. The initial rebelliousness from the younger subjects such as TYO-M-02-293 have been curbed successfully. The subjects have bonded well together and formed strong familial attachments."

"Excellent. The higher their emotional bond, the more attached they'll become to the Orphanage and the less trouble they'll cause. Are there any discrepancies with the drugs?"

"No sir. Reaction time for the effects to take place is one hour, as before."

"It is imperative that the kitchen is kept off limits to the subjects. Keep your control over the food preparation area strict."

"Yes sir."

"The antidote pills?"

"Are being taken after every dinner by myself as instructed sir, to counteract the drugs in the food."

"Your health must not be risked. The subjects have accepted your role as the mother figure and it will interfere with their mentality if you are replaced."

"…Yes sir."

He couldn't believe it. Mika felt his body trembling violently. The first voice was male, deep, unknown but full of strong authority but the second voice he had recognised. _That was the director._

His mind was reeling at what he was hearing. Everything had been a lie...they were being _experimented on_.

Mika choked on a sob, tears gathering in his eyes.

"What is the progress on subject TYO-M-08-299?"

"The newest subject showed signs of anti socialness on his arrival but his rooming arrangements and the delay before enrolling him in school have been as successful as always in making the subject accept the other subjects as their family and grow close to them."

"TYO-M-08-299 is our central key project. He is priceless beyond all worth- you _must not_ let him escape our grasp. The abuse reports of a pair of parents calling their child the son of the devil was all we needed to investigate into him, and to finally find what we've spent decades searching for. With intensive testing we can break down the properties of his blood to locate and possess his counterpart-"

A shrieking alarm pierced through, cutting off the man's sentence. Mika shrunk back as far into his hiding place as he could go as several white coated people ran in a panic past him.

"Sir, TYO-M-08-298 is missing!"

" _What do you mean he's missing_?" the man's voice was chillingly cold like a blizzard. Mika shivered. "Are you telling me that the subject got up and walked off?"

"H-his trolley is empty sir," someone stammered out.

"There must be some abnormality in the food drugs, or even worse there's a breach in security and we have an intruder. Go call the guards and find the subject, _immediately_ -"

A second alarm cut him off again, this one considerably louder like a blaring klaxon.

"Sir!" a second group of lab coats were rushing to the meeting room. "TYO-M-08-299 is out of control!"

The man didn't even bother to reply, striding through the crowd at the door. The people hurriedly tripped over themselves to move out of his path like the red sea parting for Moses. They scurried at his departing back like a pack of well-trained dogs.

Mika ran after them. He watched them swarm into a room a few corridors away, before gluing himself to the crack in the doorway as soon as the coast was clear.

It was pure chaos.

Machines were beeping erratically and a heart rate monitor was leaping off the charts. Yet more people in white coats were darting all over the place as they tried to salvage the situation.

In the centre of the storm was Yuu. He was awake and writhing, struggling against his numerous bindings on his ankles and wrists, tossing and turning like a feral beast. Hands were pinning him down, only to be repeatedly knocked away by his wild movements.

But worst of all, Yuu's lips were parted in a high pitched, piercing scream. Mika collapsed to his knees, hand clenched on his heart as he felt the rebound of Yuu's pain resonate within him.

Drowned out by the noise, Mika could distantly hear the man in charge demand, "What happened here?!"

"Sir! His bloodstream has become corrupted-"

" _Why_ has it become corrupted? Your orders were to take blood samples and examine them, nothing more!"

"But sir," the person defended agitatedly. "We only wanted to test his reaction to the serum we've developed. If we can enhance his physical body then think of the possibilities, the power-"

Yuu's scream increased in volume tenfold and drowned out the arguing. Mika peered through his haze of agony to watch in horror as a blackness spread through Yuu's veins, a stark contract against his paper white skin.

Suddenly, the scream stopped. The lights flickered, swayed, then they were plunged into darkness.

* * *

On October 16th 2004 a baby was born in St Luke's International Hospital in Japan.

"Congratulations, it's a boy!"

Mizuki Amane was beyond exhausted, drenched in sweat and panting but she still found a smile blooming on her face at the sight of her newborn son. As the nurse cleaned up her precious child and her husband gripped her hand tight with tears in his eyes, she felt like she was in a dream.

"Here you go, Mrs Amane. You have a healthy baby and there doesn't seem to be any complications. I'll just go and prepare a crib for him to sleep in and then I'll come back soon."

Mizuki was gently handed her son and the nurse left. She cradled him in her arms, rocking him ever so slightly and counting his fingers and toes.

A coo rose in her throat as her son sleepily blinked his eyes, only to transform into a scream.

The baby looked back gurgling happily with red eyes and a blood red stone emerging from the back of his left hand.

* * *

Mika saw a pair of glowing red eyes slit open from the darkness of the room.

The ground began to rumble and shake.

A twisted black wing erupted out from Yuu's back, enveloping them all and flinging Mika into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** _Yup...there we have it. This chapter was hands down so hard to write but it managed to get out in the end._

 _On a happier note, this fic has passed 10k wordcount wohoo :D If you didn't know already, I update my tumblr (castiza dot tumblr dot com) whenever a new chapter is up so feel free to follow me for notifications, or if you just want to chat with me._


	6. Amnesia

Song playlist: Out Of My Mind by James Blunt

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Amnesia**

/amˈniːzɪə/

1\. partial or total loss of memory, usually resulting from shock, psychological disturbance, brain injury, or illness.

* * *

The world was being destroyed.

Buildings were collapsing, rubble falling, concrete pavements splitting wide open.

In New York, the Statue of Liberty's head was decapitated as the rest of its body crumbled apart. Across the globe, the Leaning Tower of Pisa lived up to its namesake as it finally gave in to gravity and toppled over. Similarly like a giant's toy, the London Eye was snapped free of its infrastructure and began to roll in terrifying cartwheels.

The death count- impossible to even _attempt_ to estimate.

The cause of the end of the world, as the catastrophe would come to be dubbed, was an earthquake. It was unlike any earthquake seen by humankind in thousands of years for the fact that it was not caused by tectonic plates. Rather, the fatal tremors were pounding out in circular waves from a single location on the map.

Asia. Japan. Tokyo. The Hyakuya Orphanage.

And in the eye of the storm was Yuuichiro Hyakuya.

"Sssssslaughter….allll…sisisisinnersssss..."

His left arm was spread wide with the blood red stone embedded in the back of his hand pulsing out waves of heavy, corrupted magic. His veins had completely transformed to black strung wires on his skin and equally black blood was oozing thickly from out of the stone.

His eyes were a raging, unseeing, demonic red.

Everyone in the building was unconscious, suffocated from the thickness of the darkness.

Somewhere in a faint far away part of his mind, Yuu was screaming himself insane. Visions were flashing in front of him of each and every city as they fell, like once mighty towers of playing cards collapsing. The splattered blood of innocent people being crushed to death, their excruciating dying screams, the hysterical sobbing and panic that unified the globe in its despair. _It was too much, he couldn't take it, what had he done, make it stop please please please-_

The last thing Yuu saw was the ceiling giving in and plunging down to Mika's helpless body below. Yuu was hysterical as he begged with all his soul for his family to be saved, please let them be live, please let them get out alive-

Then a thick iron wall slammed down in Yuu's mind, shutting out the unbearable torture.

As Yuu's mind jumbled up and blacked out, his black wing burst into growth. It broke through metal walls, obliterating all obstacles in its way until it had reached out to envelope every single one of the Hyakuya children in its embrace. Then there was a swirl of magic as they were teleported outside.

The Orphanage folded in itself barely seconds later. Its inhabitants would not breathe again.

* * *

The sky was on fire. That was Mika's first thought as he gradually shifted into awareness. Crimson, ruby, burnt orange and torn apart white clouds were streaked across the horizon, criss-crossing in a vivid bloody portrait of nature.

Also, something in the corner of his eye was actually on fire.

Mika shot up, then winced. It was like his forehead was being used as an anvil by a clumsy, bruteful blacksmith.

He reached up to grab his head only to have his wrist arrested in a tight grip. There, curled protectively over Mika, lay an unconscious Yuu.

Mika would forever hate himself for the violent flinch that ran through his body. That darkness, the shaking ground, those terrifying red eyes- the memories burst through his mind. That…that had been Yuu…

Quickly averting his eyes, Mika's thoughts multiplied in confusion. They were outside in the street with the other children sprawled out close by like a flock of nestless chicks. Behind them the Hyakuya Orphanage was in rubble and ruins- how on earth did they get out alive? The street looked like a disaster scene with collided cars burning up in flames and chunks of buildings scattered everywhere. Mika was pretty sure he could spot an airplane in the far distance smoking in a crashed heap.

This…Yuu had done this…

No. _No._

Mika berated himself, wanting to slap himself. It wasn't Yuu's fault at all. He had done nothingwrong. What had the scientist called it…his bloodstream had become "corrupted." Those adults had cruelly experimented on and hurt his precious Yuu and now they all must have died in the aftermath.

Good. They deserved nothing less.

"Mmm…Mi…ka…?"

"Yuu!" Mika cried, leaning closely over Yuu to peer at his face. Green eyes, not red, squinted open. "I'm so glad you're okay! Are you in pain? How do you feel?"

"Hey, slow down there…" Yuu mumbled, looking disorientated. "What's going on? Why are we outside?"

"You don't remember?" Mika asked slowly.

"What are you talking about?" Yuu's eyebrows furrowed. "You were acting weird, then we went to bed, and…and then…I…ouch!"

Yuu abruptly doubled over, clutching his head.

"Yuu!"

"I-I'm okay," Yuu gasped. "My head just hurt all of a sudden, like a really sharp pain."

"So you don't remember then," Mika stated more than asked. Amnesia, he realised with dawning understanding. Yuu had gotten amnesia from the shock or trauma.

"No, I don't- oh my god!" Yuu finally had taken a look around him, gaping at the devastation that was their new world. "What- fuck- the hell- what happened?!"

This was his chance. Mika would explain everything to Yuu, how he had- no, they all had been manipulated and abused by the very people who had supposedly rescued them from their abuse. He felt for his hidden recorder, miraculously intact and the perfect evidence to prove he was right. After all, it had been recording from the moment he had laid in bed at night.

"You see…" the words died in his throat at Yuu's bewildered but naive eyes. "There was thismassive earthquake, it was unbelievable Yuu! It was crazy and everyone got knocked around loads but we managed to get outside safely. You must have hit your head pretty hard, like everyone else."

"Seriously?! This is insane man, like some wild dream."

"I know right?" How could Mika be cruel enough to destroy Yuu's innocence? To tell him he had been betrayed and that he was, however guiltless, linked to all this destruction? There was no way Yuu would take it well.

Mika would be the only one to remember. He would bear the burden to keep his family smiling.

So he pulled Yuu into a sudden hug, ignoring Yuu's protests, and tucked the recorder into his pyjama pocket behind Yuu's back.

"I'm glad you're safe," Mika repeated again, hoping that the tremor didn't show in his voice.

"Yeah," Yuu replied. _Me too_ , both of them knew he was saying.

In a surge of inhuman strength he didn't know he possessed, Mika tightened his fist in his pocket and crushed the recorder into smithereens.

* * *

Soon with their combined efforts, Mika and Yuu had shaken the other kids awake and patched up their cuts and scratches as best as they could. They looked scared, most on the verge of tears, and it took all of Mika's projected confidence to calm them down.

"It'll be alright, don't worry-"

"Hey! Are you kids okay?" a middle aged man called out, turning the corner of the street.

"It's the principal from my school!" Mika nudged Yuu in surprise. "So there _are_ survivors out there. We're okay, Mr Takeshi!"

"That's great! I was so worried when I remembered the kids from the orphanage so I came as soon as my wife and kids got to the shelter safely. Everyone's grouping there now, you need to come-"

Without warning the principal choked. He clutched at his heart, mouth foaming. The whites of his eyes were rolling like a spooked horse. As he staggered forward, the children fearfully stepped back in return. They clutched at Mika and Yuu's back, Mika shifting forward to shield their vision. Time trickled to a halt as the principal crumpled to the floor and didn't move again.

The children screamed.

"What the hell…" Yuu was shaking, his face pale and drawn. Tears were streaming down the toddlers' faces as they clung to him.

"Yuu," Mika grabbed his shoulders. "Yuu, snap out of it! There were more screams coming from the other street- we have to find out what's going on."

"Y-yeah."

"We need to carry the youngest ones, come on."

Yuu let Mika pass Ken over to him, who wrapped himself around Yuu like a koala bear. Mika bundled Jun in his arms, motioning for Akane and Kagame to do the same with Rika and Sora, and then they began to run.

"Don't look!" Mika ordered as they passed the principal. He covered Jun's face with his hand, protecting him from those sightless eyes that seemed to bore into them

Three streets away, the cause of the screams became horrifyingly clear. A makeshift tent had been pitched up in the rubble cleared square, with food supplies and water bottles beginning to be piled up in a corner. Children were wailing with red puffy faces as they huddled in unsure groups, or tried to shake awake the slumped adults that littered the ground like flies.

"The adults are all dead," Mika said blankly. "Just like the principal. Why are they…we can't stay here, it's bad for the young kids. We need to leave."

"But what about all these kids? What's going to happen to them?" Kagame asked in a small voice.

Mika clenched his teeth. Would they be able to look after all these neighbourhood kids? There had to be at least twenty or thirty in front of him now. If it came down to protecting his family and protecting a group of outsiders then Mika didn't have to stop to think what his choice would be.

Before he could open his mouth the wind began to blow in strong waves. Mika covered his eyes against the grit and dust that rose in clouds, peering up in shock at the massive helicopters that were circling down on them.

He gripped Yuu's hand tightly.

"Mika?!"

"I'm not letting you get taken away from me."

"This is a warning," a gleeful female voice announced from a megaphone. "We have spread a deadly virus to the adults of this earth. If you do not obey, you will perish along with them."

Krul Tepes jumped down from the royal helicopter causing a shock wave of air and a small crater to sink beneath her feet. She smirked wide enough to reveal her sharp canines at the frightened young faces that greeted her. Her royal attendants floated down to join her, standing respectfully at her sides with their hooded heads lowered.

"Secure the Eye of Lucifer as instructed. Do _not_ single him out or draw attention to him- take the humans in as livestock in a group. Damage my treasure and I'll rip your heads off."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As her loyal dogs marched up to the livestock, their hooded cloaks billowing in the wind, Krul fixed her vision on the small boy with black hair and wide green eyes.

 _Checkmate._

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Update! This fic will now have a song for each chapter which fits the mood or has lyrics which are relevant. The song and artist will be included in the start of each chapter (chapters 1-5 have had songs added too if you want to check them out). For songs marked with an asterisk (*) I couldn't find a better fit- if you think another song would suit that chapter better, leave a review and I'll check it out. I can't guarantee I'll choose your song but I would certainly appreciate the help :)


	7. Powerplay

Song playlist: Power And Control by Mariana and the Diamonds

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **Powerplay**

 _/ˈpaʊəpleɪ/_

 _1\. a strategic maneuver, as in politics, diplomacy, or business, in which advantage is sought through the use of power or influence._

 _2\. the act of using knowledge and or information against someone else in order to gain advantage in an intense situation_

* * *

"Man, I'm dead tired-"

Back before the disaster that was the end of the world, Guren Ichinose was halting as he opened his office door. He ran one hand through his hair, before sighing deeply and pointing his sword.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Is this how you treat your comrade, Lieutenant Guren Ichinose?"

"Cut the crap. No way in fuck that aura of yours is anything human."

"Oh?" the intruder's voice turned pleasantly interested. "How intriguing, what a clever dog you are."

He was dressed in the standard military uniform for a Sergeant, a high enough rank to access Guren's office while low enough to escape special attention. Slim long legs were crossed elegantly on Guren's desk as he lounged back in the leather chair. His military peaked cap was pulled low over his eyes, casting a shadow over his face.

More importantly- "Oi, get those papers out of your hands. They're classified."

"Hmm…no thank you. You see, I've been _dying_ of boredom lately and these are such divine reading material. You humans really are amusing-" The stranger smoothly tilted his head, dodging the sword that had lunged at him. Instead the sheath caught on his hat and whipped it away from his head. Guren was captivated by the cascades of long silver hair that fell down in waves….as well as the two pointed ears that popped free.

"Vampire." Guren's whole demeanour shifted as he unsheathed his sword and thick black tendrils burst out in a stifling haze. He locked eyes on his target with a smirk. "The rumoured rulers of the corrupted realm whose sightings are few and far. Looks like I've caught a rare bug today."

"What a splendid textbook definition!- a human textbook, that is. Ah, what a shame for you poor dears, so lost in the dark about the real truth out there."

"Don't underestimate us humans, vampire. You can help enlighten us then- as our guinea pig, that is." Guren slashed his sword at the vampire sending a cutting wave of black towards him. The vampire _laughed_ and sprung out of the chair like a cat. He flipped mid air in a whirl of silver hair and loose sheaves of paper. Landing perfectly balanced on the hilt of Guren's sword, their foreheads were pressed together.

Guren was met with two ruby eyes with slit pupils.

"Boo."

Then the vampire flicked Guren's nose as if he were a misbehaving kitten. Guren flew back, crashing hard enough in the wall to make a human sized dent.

He winced, clutching his broken nose in an attempt to stem the flow of blood. His chin was delicately lifted up by a white gloved finger. Guren narrowed his eyes at the vampire leaning above him, with one arm resting next to Guren's head and legs crossed like he was modelling for a photo-shoot.

"Human are as pathetically weak as usual-"

"What can I say?" Guren interrupted with a shrug, as if he wasn't facing his imminent death.

"Ahaha, I think I like you!" The smirk on the vampire's face stretched into a Cheshire grin.

"Don't say it like you're adopting a pet," Guren muttered.

"I see no difference. Did you know, pet, that most vampires avoid coming to the human realm unnecessarily? Why would you want to go visit a field of livestock? But you can find the most interesting things sometimes. After all, out of the two of us, who is the real monster in this room?"

Guren didn't follow the vampire's gaze flicker to the papers strewn around them, keeping his eyes on the enemy.

"Sixty seven orphanages in Japan alone which take in lost hurt strays, the poor lambs no one cares about or notices, and uses them as human experiments without their knowledge. The total death count has come up to a grand one hundred and four. My my, what a despicable game the Imperial Army likes to play."

But in contrast to his words, the vampire sounded morbidly amused at what he had discovered.

" _You_ …this isn't the first time you've broken into here."

"Of course not!" Now it was the vampire's turn to shrug, somehow making it a graceful roll of his shoulders. "Where would the fun be in that? Ah ah ah, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The vampire wagged his finger at Guren who froze his hand from where it had been sneaking to the alarm button in the wall. He gave an unrepentant smile. "And why not?"

"Because imagine the widespread panic and chaos when the secret activities of the Imperial Army are delivered to every news studio in Japan. What a shock the public will receive!"

The vampire whipped out a paper brown envelope sealed with the official army stamp and with a bold red CLASSIFIED stamped on the front. Guren lunged for it only to have a boot press his chest back into the wall. The envelope was waved mockingly in front of his face, before the vampire let it slip from his fingers and disappear in thin air.

"What-"

"A small magic trick, you might say. Pocket dimensions sure can be handy. You'd better keep silent about me, isn't that right? Just imagine your punishment when the leaked papers are traced back to Guren Ichinose, Lieutenant of the Imperial Army himself. I can hear the cries for the blood of a traitor already."

The vampire shivered with a gleam in his eyes.

"You're one messed up, blackmailing sadist."

"We all need a hobby, don't we mister human experimenter? Don't get too angsty- this can benefit you too if you're a good boy. I'll be back to play with you soon."

The vampire patted his head and snickered when Guren slapped his hand away. He stepped back and Guren didn't stop him, tracking his every move with his eyes. As the vampire fixed his cap back on and leapt to the windowsill, which Guren had _sworn_ he had locked before leaving his office, he turned his head back.

"Oh, and you can call me Ferid."

Then he smirked and jumped down, as silent as the night.

* * *

"Seventh Progenitor Ferid Bathory. You are late- explain yourself."

"Sorry, sorry, I was finishing some business of mine," Ferid light heartedly announced as he strolled into the meeting room. Several screens were suspended in mid air with the tell tale sparks of magic flickering at the edges like jolts of electricity. They hung around the edges of a glowing magic runic circle. Its illumination was casting sharp shadows theatrically over the room.

"One would think you would no longer wish to remain in this exclusive council," the Second Progenitor continued seriously. "Act your position Ferid Bathory before you face the repercussions of your eccentricies."

"Of course, my apologies," Ferid atoned with a theatrical sweeping bow. Krul scoffed in her high backed throne and crossed her legs.

"Enough of these interruptions. Third Progenitor Krul Tepes, report on your progress with Sanguinem."

Krul straightened by a centimetre and snapped her fingers. A document of papers fell into her open palm, which she caught and flicked open without looking. She kept her eyes trained on the screens as nine more sets of papers were teleported in the laps of each nameless Progenitor.

They too snatched their papers from the air effortlessly without moving their gazes from the other top dogs. They were a pack of predators all waiting to pounce at the slightest show of weakness.

"As detailed in the report, the construction of the third vampire capital underneath Kyoto is nearing its completion," Krul reported evenly. "The need for discretion from Japan's Imperial Army has lessened the number of builders and architects we could send without catching their notice but the vampires in the city are safely protected."

"You claim the vampires in the city are safe- what of _all_ the vampires you have sent? Are you hiding casualties from the council?" The Fifth Progenitor who was addressing Krul spoke just as mildly yet there was a sharp glint in his eyes.

"I would never hide anything from the council. This is a place for honesty, is it not?" Krul smiled sweetly. "In faith to my duty and responsibility, I have already outlined in the reports you hold the two lower class vampires who strayed too far above ground and were captured by the Imperial Army. It is unfortunately tragic but a risk we are all aware of when we travel to the human realm."

"Yet not for much longer," the central screen spoke up for the first time. An alert silence blanketed the room as the First Progenitor's voice gripped them like a deep icy stream. "With the vampire underground settlements nearly built and our soldiers trained, our decades long plans to invade the human realm are finally close to being put into action. Too long have we lived in the shadows of this corrupted realm while the livestock roam freely and carelessly on the earth's surface. Progenitors, you know your assigned countries to attack and rule. Keep to your duties and await my signal. Council dismissed."

One by one the screens faded out and dropped to the ground. They sank into the magic circle, making it flare brighter before losing its shining light like a dying fire.

Krul visibly slumped in her throne and let her hand with the report dangle to the floor. She massaged her head with her other hand before peering at Ferid between her fingers.

"Oh, you're still here? Get lost already."

"You wound my poor heart," Ferid complained, clutching at his chest.

"Good, a stake through your heart is what you need."

"How cruel of my love! But I shall take my leave then, my dear." He blew a kiss and a wave at Krul whose expression sat on the border of stotic and disgusted.

"Off to poke your nose into who knows where it doesn't belong as usual? One day you'll find something that'll bite you back and tear that ugly face of yours off."

"That would never happen," Ferid laughed beguilingly. "Because my love, I'm _very serious_ about my games."

* * *

Guren let out a hum as he meandered down the sunny cobbled path on Hiruma Road. His head was lowered as he scanned through the latest report he had just collected from the Hyakuya Orphanage. As he walked, the background chatter began to rise in volume like birds waking up in the morning. Guren looked up to see the elementary school at the end of the road letting loose their students, flooding the street with tiny bobbing yellow hats.

Children ran past Guren shrieking and laughing, paying no attention to just another boring adult dressed casually in the crowd. He ignored them and looked back down at the report.

The street blacked out as a pair of hands covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" someone sang from behind him.

"I wonder," Guren stated conversationally. "How many different ways it takes for a vampire to die. The prissy higher ups won't let the vampires we've captured to be killed off unfortunately- they're more important for "testing" apparently. But you on the other hand- well, I'm sure no one will cry at your funeral."

That irritating laughter rang out. His face was released, but not before his cheek was patted twice with pseudo affection.

"Now now, you wouldn't want to kill off your beloved partner would you?"

"Partner? Who the hell is your partner?"

Guren turned to see Ferid wink and then smile mysteriously at him. It took him a moment to associate the vampire with the formal army uniformed, which he had probably stolen shamelessly, figure from yesterday. Before him Ferid was dressed in a pair of tight black skinny jeans with knee-high boots which accentuated his feminine legs. His blood red shirt matched the jewel shaped earrings glimmering in his ears, pulling off a casually rebellious yet designer fashionable look.

"How are your ears rounded?" Guren noticed with faint curiosity.

"Just a small magic trick," Ferid smirked, tracing his ear with a fingertip as if he were showing them off.

"You said that last time as well."

"Because it's true- don't bother trying to hide that your little army can use spells and enchantments too. Noble vampires can use small amounts of basic magic for things like communication, pocket dimensions and object teleportation- little parlour tricks, really. But neither us vampires nor you humans are beings who can tap into the full potential of magic- that legendary power belongs to deities alone."

"You sure are one loose lipped enemy," Guren shook his head at Ferid. "Not that I'm complaining of course. Care to share all your evil plans and how to kill you while you're at it?"

"Ahaha, I wouldn't want to make things that easy for you pet. I'm just pulling in your interest- isn't it lovely having these chats with me? You've certainly caught mine with this precious gem-"

"Hurry up!" a blonde kid shouted as he ran between Guren and Ferid. A wide angelic smile was splitting his face, lighting up his blue eyes. "We have to be home before our new family member arrives!"

"Wait up, Mika!" another girl called after him. Kagame, Guren recognised her from the profile photos in the report, and that was the one called Akane jogging behind. They caught up to Mikaela, clutching at his hands and chattering excitedly. Guren watched them disappear down the road with a tiny guilty tug at his heart at their oblivious happiness.

He ruthlessly squashed that tug down.

"Oh my…what an adorable cutie."

"Wipe that perverted look off your face you disgusting pedo. Oh my god, could your personality get any worse? Actually don't answer that, I don't want to know."

Ferid simply laughed. "Isn't it touching how Yuichirou Amane will get such a warm welcome to his new family? But you won't be able to keep him a secret forever- the Eye of Lucfier being found is the event of centuries."

"Stop stealing my papers." Guren gave a dangerous smile. "Touch a hair on his head and I'll be using yours as a mantelpiece decoration."

"Possessive are we? Don't worry, I'll leave your precious toy alone…for now. Thank you for the report, partner!"

Ferid walked off, waving the exact same bundle of papers in Guren's hands in the air in a salute. Guren's eyes widened as he looked down- he still had the papers in his hand. How the hell did he duplicate them?

"Small magic tricks, huh?"

Looks like he'd have to polish up on his warding skills. Ah, what a pain.

* * *

"Your Majesty! The human realm has collapsed!"

"What?! Report the situation immediately!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The guard who had ran inside out of breath rose up from his kneeled bow. "There has been a global scale earthquake destroying all the buildings and cities across the earth. Our architects have predicted that the vampire cities we built underground would have remained intact due to the specialised building materials we had imported from our realm."

"Our precautions for natural disasters have paid off then," Krul commented, sounding pleased. "Carry on, soldier."

"The estimated damage reports are being sent over by our guards in the vampire cities as we speak-"

Krul held out her hand to cut the guard off. Her attention had been caught by the magic summoning circle that had began pulsing by the side of her throne. She picked up the scroll that had been teleported into the circle, unravelled the gold embroidered ribbon and read the message inside.

"Royal guards!" she suddenly ordered.

The guards lining the room were kneeling submissively in an immaculate line at her feet in the blink of an eye.

"The time has come to put our plans into action. Bring out the weapons, prepare the helicopters, alert every single vampire of every class."

Krul paused to let a bloodthirsty shark like grin spread across her lips.

"We are attacking the human realm- to victory!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

As the guards rushed out to carry out their orders, Ferid passed them as he entered the royal hall. His hair twirled in its ribbon tied ponytail as he turned to watch them leave.

"Oh? Looks like things are getting interesting now. You'll get wrinkles if you carry on glaring at me like that, my love. Don't you want to hear the super juicy intel I've got?"

"Go ahead, impress me," Krul drawled.

Ferid walked down the plush red carpet, up the stairs and stood right in front of the throne in a blatant power play. "You're going to follow my orders and attack Tokyo first."

"Ha! As if I take orders from you, Seventh Progenitor. I could have you beheaded for this disrespect towards your Queen."

"Ah, but you won't," Ferid said smugly like the cat that had gotten the cream. He placed his hands on the arms of the throne and leaned forward so that he was caging Krul in. The fire in her eyes told him that he was a second away from his heart being ripped out. With his fringe shielding them from the remaining tense guards, he whispered dramatically," I know where the Eye of Lucifer is."

* * *

 **Author's notes** : Next chapter will be back to Mika and Yuu! I would just write every chapter on them if I could but this one was necessary for the plot. Also I haven't read the light novels so sorry if Guren is OOC in any way, and also sorry not sorry for Ferid being such a huge flirt.


	8. Clinginess

Song playlist: Cha Ching by Imagine Dragons

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

 **Clinginess**

 _/ˈkliŋēnə̇s/_

 _1\. the quality of being clingy_

 _[i. to hold fast or adhere to something, as by grasping, sticking, embracing, or entwining_

 _ii. to be or remain physically or emotionally close; resist separation]_

* * *

Yuu ducked his head and walked hastily to the front door. If he was sneaky enough maybe he wouldn't be noticed by-

"Are you going out? Where are you going? I'll come with you- wait, hold up Yuu! Why are you walking faster?"

In a flash Mika had appeared out of thin air, even though Yuu could have _sworn_ he had been chatting to Akane in the kitchen just seconds ago, and latched himself to Yuu's arm like a parasite.

"Geez, I just want to go for a walk," Yuu groaned. He tried to tug his arm free but Mika had it locked in a vice grip with that deceiving hidden strength of his.

"That sounds great," Mika beamed. "Let's go then!"

But you've been stuck to me like glue since we arrived, Yuu wanted to say. From waking up together, to breakfast, to having their blood taken, to walking back home- Mika had attached himself as a permanent fixture to Yuu's side.

He felt kind of suffocated by Mika's attentions- hence him trying to sneak out for some time alone. In fact, why did he have to put up with it? Damn right he didn't. Yuu was going to tell Mika how annoying he was being to his face here and now.

Yuu blocked the exit with his back and crossed his arms. He looked decisively at Mika with a long overdue rant at the tip of his tongue. Mika looked back with those shining blue eyes of his.

"I…" How was it even humanely possible for someone's eyes to be that freakishly blue? "Yeah, let's go already." Wait, that's not what he had meant to say.

"That's what I just said! You're as ditzy as usual Yuu," Mika laughed as he pulled Yuu outside.

"Shut up. Did you just mutter 'works every time'?"

"Oh dear, Yuu is going deaf too now. Whatever shall we do?"

"Hey!"

Their impromptu wrestling match left them with dust and dirt trailed clothes and an unspoken mutual truce. They wandered shoulder to shoulder along the cobbled streets under the hazy orange gaslights of the underground vampire city.

It had been nearly a week into their new lives as human blood bags for the vampires. Yuu hated it.

"Stupid bloodsuckers," he grumbled, kicking his foot wildly at a pebble. It barely hit and sent the stone skittering pathetically a few centimetres. Mika snickered. "Stupid emo hooded leeches, stupid rations, stupid everything."

"The rations suck don't they?" Mika sighed.

"As if these tagged collars weren't enough, of course they have to feed us like livestock too." As if prompted, both of their stomachs rumbled out loud in unison. They automatically looked at each other before breaking into childish laughter.

"Shh," Mika squeezed out between his peals of laughter. "We don't want to attract attention from any vampires nearby."

The v-word sobered Yuu up like a wet blanket. He scowled at the ground. "Let them come, I'll punch them in the face."

"Of course you will." Mika rolled his eyes. "It's nearly dinner time, let's make our way back home Yuu."

A melancholy mood settled over them as they turned around and walked back. A streetlamp flickered erratically. Home. Once a bright sunny orphanage with the director's home made cooking and love, now a run down crumbling house allocated to them by the vampires for their small group.

"It's not my home," Yuu broke the quietness between them. "Living like this, like dirt under the bloodsuckers' feet. Where I born wasn't home, the orphanage could have become home but I know for sure this cage isn't."

"The orphanage…" Mika opened his mouth, closed it, shook his head. The streetlamp flickered one last time and died, shadowing Yuu's side of the street in darkness. "The orphanage wasn't home to me, at least not anymore. Maybe it's better things are like this."

"What?" Yuu felt icy cold, and then fiery hot. He grabbed Mika by the front of his shirt and dragged him up with his fists. "How could you even say that? That things are _better_ now? Don't you hear the kids crying every night from hunger and sadness? How the fuck are you _happy_ with _this_?"

"Of course I'm not happy!" Mika shot back, unusually frustrated. Yuu saw him grit his teeth. "How can I be happy when my family are suffering? But at least compared to before-" He cut himself off abruptly.

"Don't stop there, what do you mean 'before'?"

"It's nothing, let's just go back home. Please." Mika flashed Yuu a disarming smile as if nothing was wrong. "It was just a slip of tongue. I'm tired and talking nonsense."

Mika's face was open and honest, his blue eyes earnest like before, but…there was a tug in his heart that was telling him…

"You're lying," Yuu realised numbly. "You're lying and you don't care about us after all. You're on the same side as those bloodsuckers."

"No, Yuu, you don't understand-"

"Well then explain it! Tell me so I understand!"

Mika looked trapped and visibly floundered, but before he could open his mouth to spew out whatever crap he could think of Yuu was already storming off .

"Wait, where are you going Yuu?" Mika called after him, sounding desperate. "Don't go!"

"To get away from you! Leave me alone!" And then Yuu ran off as fast as he could, not caring where he was going as long as it was away from his so-called friend.

His footsteps pounded hard like the blood rushing in his ears. With each step away from Mika he could feel the tug in his heart from earlier pulling harder, as if there was an invisible bond between the two that was being strained apart.

He didn't care. He really didn't. Why should he care what Mika thought?

The cobbled paths were flying beneath his feet, his breath coming out in painful puffs now. A muscle burn in his leg sent him tripping over cluster of pipes and sprawling helplessly onto the ground.

He swore and pushed himself up on his palms only to wobble and collapse back. Looking down Yuu saw his hands sliced open with cuts and red friction burns. The steady drip of his crimson blood was trickling down his arms.

"Ugh." Yuu grimaced. With a groan he buried his head in his arms. All his suppressed fear and anger and worry ever since the vampires had enslaved them was welling up, dampening his eyes. Guilt was gnawing at his stomach too now at how he had snapped at Mika, but he couldn't bring himself to go back and face him.

He couldn't even bring himself to get up again.

Yuu abruptly choked as a hand suddenly clamped down on his neck.

He gasped for air, his hands clawing at his throat wildly. A leering face leaned down to his, ghastly pale and haunting.

"Looks like I've found a stray livestock," the vampire murmured with a guttural voice that sent shivers down Yuu's spine. "Piped blood is so _stale_. No one will notice a missing sheep."

"After all" –the male lowered his mouth onto Yuu's bleeding palms, the latter pinned like a dummy in the chokehold- "fresh blood" –a scrape of deadly sharp fangs on his flesh- "is _so_ much more delicious from the source."

A slimy tongue slid along his skin like a snail, lapping up the blood. Yuu felt the body on top of his abruptly jolt as if it had been electrocuted.

"What a _divine_ taste," the vampire exclaimed in pure shock, more to himself at this point than his captive. The edges of Yuu's vision were fading out from oxygen deprivation. Everything felt fuzzy and painful. "How is it a possible for a human to taste like this? Why haven't the vampire population been alerted of such an abnormally high calibre blood source-"

The pressure on Yuu's neck abruptly cut off. He immediately inhaled deep lungfuls of precious air, panting hard. Looking up from where he sat, Yuu's eyes widened dramatically at his attacker gurgling on his own blood. A blade was embedded into his undead heart deep enough to stick out from his chest.

"Denizen of Sanguinem," a hooded guard intoned monotonously from behind him. "You have infringed upon the laws of this noble city and are charged guilty of drinking directly from a human livestock. As per Her Majesty's will, your crimes are punishable by immediate death."

"Wait! As a denizen I have the right for a public trial-"

"Her Majesty's orders are absolute."

The cry of metal slicing through the air rang together with the vampire's screech as his head was severed in a clean swipe. Yuu couldn't tear his eyes away from the vampire as it disintegrated before him into a swirl of fire and ash. The guard flicked his wrist efficiently, cleaning his sword in that one powerful movement, before sheathing it at his hip.

Then he took a step towards Yuu. Panicking, Yuu scrambled back. His bleeding hands left smears of blood along the stone floor as if he were in a horror movie. The guard's mouth tilted down and his next words couldn't have sounded more foreboding to Yuu if the grim reaper himself had uttered them himself.

"Yuichirou Hyakuya."

"Oh, sir, I'm so sorry!' Yuu found himself encased in a protective hug from- Mika?!. "He got lost on his way home, we're sorry for troubling you! We'll be going straight back home now!"

For one terrifying moment Yuu thought Mika's usual charming smile had zero effect on the guard's stotic hooded face. But to his relief the guard didn't move as Mika dragged Yuu away, simply standing still like a statue. Yuu could almost feel his penetrating gaze watch them leave.

"What- Mika- where did you come fro-"

"Not now," Mika hushed him and Yuu felt himself flush as the memories of their argument flooded back to him all at once. "Get back safe first, talking later."

Yuu obliged and shut up.

* * *

The candle flame was playing with the shadows on the cobbled wall, twisting and turning. Yuu watched its dance with lidded eyes as Mika herded the children to their upper sleeping floor.

The walk back had been too tense to worry about their fight with the threat of being caught by another vampire looming over their heads. As soon as they stepped inside though the awkwardness had hit them at full force. Mika had been abnormally quiet as he wrapped up Yuu's injuries with only a few short words asking Yuu to lift his hand or spread his fingers, and Yuu hadn't built up the nerve to breach the taboo topic.

It wasn't like Yuu at all. He had never been one to hold back his words (except for with his parents which he _reallydidn'twanttothinkabout_ ) but this was his first real conflict with his first real friend. What the hell were you supposed to do?

"Everyone tucked in?" Mika asked brightly. Of course he wouldn't show anyone else if he was upset. Yuu was beginning to see Mika wasn't as easy to read as he seemed.

"Yeess," came the chorus of replies from the children, ranging from adorably sleepily to wide awake.

"Okay, good night everyone! Close your eyes and go to sleep, okay?"

Amongst the yawns and pillow talk to bed neighbours, Mika lifted himself up the ladder and crawled over to his blanket and pillow next to Yuu. Trying to ignore Mika, Yuu drew in a breath and softly blew out the single candle in the room. The room was plunged into darkness.

Maybe it was because he was trying so hard to ignore Mika, that he ended up inevitably peeking at his every movement instead and saw the flinch that racked his body.

"Wait, are you scared out the dark?" Yuu blurted out before he could stop himself.

"…What's wrong with that?" Mika sounded almost _embarrassed_.

"Oh my god, seriously?"

"Stop sounding so gleeful, you knucklehead." And with that the heavy silence was broken like the clouds parting after rain. Yuu rolled over fully to face Mika who was looking down. "It just, it reminds me of some bad memories."

"Oh," Yuu said very quietly. "I can understand that. Sorry."

"It's okay." There was a long stiff pause. The silence seemed to be threatening to return for the rest of the night so Yuu grasped his courage and forced the words out of his mouth-

"About earlier-"

"What I said-"

"Oh-"

"You go first-"

"No, you can go first-"

"Boys!" Kagame's half asleep voice hissed from somewhere. "Keep it down or even better, _go to sleep or I'll poison you both when it's my turn to cook tomorrow!_ "

Yuu and Mika clamped their mouths shut and shared a fearful look. With slow careful movements Mika wriggled closer to Yuu, dragging his blanket and pillow with him. He lowered his voice enough for just the two of them to hear and whispered, "She's scary when she's mad."

"Yeah, I know right?"

Within their makeshift bubble of privacy Yuu took the chance to mumble, "I-I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to shout at you. I don't care what secrets you keep from me but you being okay with how we're chained by the bloodsuckers got me angry."

"No, I'm the one who should be saying sorry. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have run away and nearly got killed by that vampire." Mika traced his fingers over Yuu's bandaged hands with feather light touches, as if Yuu was made of glass. There was a burning black fire in his eyes that was pointed at no one but himself. "It's all my fault."

"Hey, don't say that," Yuu frowned. "Why do you have such low opinion of yourself?"

Mika just gave a smile. "It doesn't matter. But I don't want you to hate me Yuu. It's horrible, like a really bad ache in my heart. When I said maybe it's better things are like this I…it's because I've…seen some bad things back before we were captured. I don't like the vampires but I don't trust humans either Yuu."

"Yeah, I guess so. You did mention your parents weren't that great."

Mika made a neutral noise of agreement, as if they were talking about two completely different things but he wasn't going to correct Yuu. "What you said was right though. I'll help find a way to get us all out of here Yuu. Whether we're with vampires or humans, my home isn't with either of them. It's with wherever my family are."

Yuu didn't know what to say to that. He felt his cheeks warm up. Looking anywhere but at Mika, he flopped over and declared, "So we're all good now. Good talk. Let's go to sleep before Kagame really does poison us."

He could hear Mika's chuckle vibrate through his back. A thought flittered into his mind. "I forgot to ask, where did you come from when you jumped in front of that guard?"

"I followed you of course," Mika replied as if it were a natural matter of fact.

Luckily Yuu was too tired to process that completely. "You've got to stop following me everywhere," he heard himself say distantly.

"Nope. I'm never letting you out of my sight. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened again to my precious family."

"Mmm."

"Yuu?" But Mika could tell he was already asleep.

He shuffled closer so they were flushed together and hid his face into Yuu's back. In a broken, near silent whisper he confessed what he could never say to Yuu's face.

"Yuu, don't go where I can't follow…"

* * *

 **Author's notes:** I have rewritten this chapter at least 5 different time but I'm happy with this end version. Thank you for your patience!


	9. Plans

Song playlist: Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) by Florence and the Machine

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

 **Plans**

 _/planz/_

 _1\. written accounts of intended future courses of action (schemes) aimed at achieving specific goals or objectives within a specific timeframe._

 _2\. intentions or decisions about what one is going to do in the future_

* * *

"-so the denizen was dealt with as instructed?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the guard intoned. He was kneeling dutifully on one knee at the foot of the throne staircase. "As a threat to the target, his immediate execution was carried out. The appropriate steps have been taken to cover up his death."

"You did well," Krul allowed, like tossing a treat to a dog. The guard lowered his head further in pleased submission. _Carrot._ "You and your team of inner guards are to tighten surveillance on your target from afar, with utmost discretion. Yuichirou Hyakuya must not be drawn attention to nor harmed."

A deliberately thoughtful pause, before Krul nonchalantly added, "Oh, and one more thing."

The guard abruptly began to choke and gasp. He was lifted into the air by tendrils of dark magic, hands clawing at his tightening throat.

Krul waited for the inevitable strangled cry before she dropped her hand. The guard followed, crumpling to the floor mercilessly. Deep bleeding welts were wrapped around his neck like a macabre collar.

"A reward for your target's injuries from the denizen," Krul smiled pleasantly. _And stick._ "Allow my treasure to be injured again, or betray this mission to anyone, and your lives are all forfeit. Dismissed."

Bloody and bruised, the guard bowed painfully deep without a word of complaint and left. Krul felt a swell of satisfaction- she had trained her dogs well.

With a twist of her hand Krul summoned the latest Progenitor Council reports. She flicked through the stack of parchments as she swept outside the royal throne room.

 _-all Progenitors have successfully reached their assigned countries and underground cities-_

 _-global patterns show resistance strongest in countries with previously existing human military organisations-_

 _-the cause of the end of the world disaster-_

Krul's hand stopped at that last report. Her body came to a halt as she read through the paragraph with sharp eyes.

 _-experts have reported that the cause of the end of the world disaster could not have been a natural earthquake. They are certain no natural disaster could have inflicted high damage across the entire globe, while also heavily weakening the boundary between the realms. Numerous reports are showing multiple tears in the boundary, resulting in creatures of all power levels crossing freely into the human realm._

 _Further investigation is being conducted to uncover the reason behind the human realm's collapse. Refer the attached graphs and statistics-_

They were getting closer. It was inevitable, yet annoying.

"What a pretty frown you're wearing today," a smooth voice greeted. Krul tilted her head marginally, gazing down at Ferid. He was lounging casually against one of the elaborately decorated archways in the deserted long corridor.

"Not that I can blame you," he carried on, undeterred as usual. "Between strays too interested in our precious Yuu's blood and the council trying to dig deeper, you're feeling the burden aren't you my beloved Queen?"

Krul twisted her lips up into a chilly smile fit for a queen. "My affairs are my own and thus none of your business."

"And here I thought we were raising our child Yuu together," Ferid theatrically sighed. He pushed himself gracefully off the pillar and walked towards Krul. "Didn't I oh so kindly tell you the name and location of the Eye of Lucifer? I'm very involved, my dear."

"You want something. You're being disgustingly sycophantic," Krul narrowed her eyes at Ferid.

"It must be your imagination," Ferid said faux innocently.

"How long have you been standing here outside the throne room, waiting for me to pass?"

"Ahaha, you've got me," Ferid let out a playful laugh, holding his hands up in the air. "I only wanted to know you intend for Yuu; other than him being hidden in plain sight as livestock and being stalked by your pet guards."

"I have a plan," Krul conceded that small piece of information. "And it involves Yuuichirou Hyakuya staying protected like this until he is ready."

"So when he reaches maturity and his powers fully activate. That's so…boring."

"Your entertainment is non existent on my list of priorities. The Eye of Lucifer was first claimed by me and is lawfully _my_ property, under _my_ protection." There was no mistaking the sweetly venomous message beneath Krul's words.

 _He's mine. Back. Off._

And with a twirl of her long hair, Krul turned her back on Ferid and left the corridor without another word.

Ferid stood motionlessly and watched her leave with an eerily blank expression.

* * *

"Wow," Guren deadpanned, entering the doorway. "Who pissed in your cereal this morning?"

"Hm? Whatever are you talking about?"

Ferid had his back turned to Guren as he gazed at the ruins of the city from the abandoned rooftop. There was no sound, like the stifling quiet of a graveyard. Guren's hand rested casually on his sword hilt as he stood strong against the heavy black aura the vampire was emitting.

Any weaker human would have collapsed in a heartbeat.

Then Ferid suddenly spun to face Guren, his typical smirk wide on his face. "Well, here we are my dear partner. Thank you for joining me here today-"

"-as if I had any choice-" Guren griped.

"Oh, I can promise you you'll be interested in what I have to say," Ferid countered, his voice silkily seductive. "You broke your toy and lost him, and I know where he is. Oh, so you can look shocked after all! What a rare delight! I could have him delivered right into your hands, how about that?"

"Uh-huh," Guren said, neutrally yet very carefully, as if the fate of humankind's vicory didn't depend on his words. "And you'll do that out of the goodness of your undead heart?"

"I knew there's a reason you're my favourite," Ferid smiled, fangs showing. A wind began to rise, rustling their hair and the dead young leaves at their feet. "Let's liven up the plot, shall we? I have a plan, and a deal that you won't be able to resist."

* * *

"Hey- wait Mika, isn't this all a bit too sudden?" Yuu questioned doubtfully, trying to slow down the fast paced hurricane that was his best friend.

"I have a plan!" Mika beamed excitedly. "With this map and gun, we can leave this place! Let's go right now, come on, wake everyone up!"

There was no stopping the force of nature that was Mika. But seeing Mika practically shine confidence like a brilliant golden sun, Yuu found a budding contagious hope stir in his heart.

Maybe this could really work. If anyone could pull off the impossible with sheer cleverness, it was Mika. Maybe they could once again feel the wind on their skin, the grass under their feet, run under the crystal blue sky in their newfound freedom.

Less than half an hour later, everyone was dead.

Six children and one noble vampire's still warm corpses scattered around the marble and gold hall.

Blood.

Everywhere.

There was _so much blood._

Everything felt disjointed to Yuu, a series of scenes coated in a thick layer of terror. His violent trembles as he dragged Mika's limp body. The gruesome trail of blood Mika's body left on the slippery floor, gushing out of his gaping open ribcage and empty arm socket.

The savage phantom pain searing Yuu's own chest and shoulder, as if it were mirroring Mika's wounds, burning fiery hot in the ice-cold chamber.

Mika was trying to argue but Yuu wouldn't listen. How could he even think of leaving him behind? He had to save him…he had to...

The phantom pain flared even harder. Yuu fell to the floor, Mika collapsing with him in his weak arms. Yuu tried to tighten his grip, refusing to let go.

"I can't…" Yuu choked out, his tears falling onto Mika's face. "Now that I…finally…had a family…I can't abandon you…"

Mika felt a surge of pleasure at Yuu calling them his family for the first time, that was swiftly followed by fear as guards began to run towards them from the distance.

He clenched his teeth and with a surge of his last strength, gave Yuu a hard shove.

"Hurry up and go! Idiot!"

And for a moment both were still as Yuu sat where he had been pushed back and Mika lay motionlessly on the floor. Their eyes were clashing, Mika's blown wide in pain and _begging_ Yuu to leave. Yuu's hand unconsciously found itself clutching at his chest, mirroring Mika's own stemming his wound.

And as always, Yuu lost the battle of wills. He flashed Mika a look full of helpless rage and agony and guilt before jerking away and running out of the door to freedom. With every step his heartstrings felt like they were being pulled apart agonisingly taunt, their soulbond stretching thinner and thinner until it snapped and dulled into a lingering ache.

The last sight Mika saw was Yuu's white tattered shirt fluttering out of the entrance before his eyelids slid shut.

Mika's face was wet as he breathed his last breath.

As the snowflakes began to fall outside and the stars shone in their mysterious patterns of fate and destiny, Guren stood at the outskirts of an abandoned village. His breath puffed out in translucent clouds as he caught sight of Yuuichirou Hyakuya, stumbling in sight at the top of the snow-covered hill.

"Just as he promised," Guren murmured to himself. He signalled for his two soldiers to stand back as he stepped forward to claim his prize.

* * *

 _Mikaela._

Mika wasn't breathing, but that didn't bother him. Nothing really bothered him right now. He felt a light airy breeze brush soothingly across his skin.

 _Mikaela, open your eyes._

His eyes fluttered open to find himself floating mid air in a whirl of galaxies and space. A strange surrealness was making him feel drunk and lightheaded at the same time, as if he were in a dream.

There was a being before him that looked like it was made of pure whiteness, like lightning and starlight mixed into one. It radiated light too bright to make out any features male or female, human or non-human.

 _As pleasing as it is for us to meet, this is not your time. You have much left to do._

With what could have been an arm, or simply an extension of its body, the being reached out into the cosmos and plucked a star out of the sky. It frizzled but remained obediently within the being's palm, as if it were aware of its holder's true power and might.

A pair of wings of white light emerged into existence and cradled Mika in its embrace, making Mika float closer towards the being. Mika couldn't keep his eyes open anymore against the blinding light. He felt the being place the star gently on Mika's lips, like a magic potion, and speak the simple rumbling command.

 _Heal._

Mika inhaled the star and began to breathe again.

A vision of a high vaulted ceiling swam into his view, quickly sharpening with inhuman accuracy. He could see every single crack and speck of dust in the ivory borders.

He jolted up. Eyes moving erratically, Mika looked around at the bloody scene of the entrance hall they had just tried to escape from. He…was alive? Was that a dream?

He caught sight of Ferid Bathory, somehow to his panic _alive_ , and the vampire queen Krul Tepes both staring at him in uncharacteristic raw shock.

Mika shrunk in on himself, hating the attention and more than a little confused. He followed their gaze to his torso and gasped. The flesh in his chest was knitting itself back together and his arm was regenerating at his side. But more distracting was the silvery white sheen his entire body was emitting as it healed itself.

He was shining like a star.

And embedded in the back of his intact right hand was a blood red stone just like the one he had seen on Yuu. In the reflection of the polished marble floor, Mika saw the crimson bleed out of his wide eyes as the healing was completed and the stone sank back into his flesh.

"Impossible," Ferid blurted and broke the silence. "The Eye of Michael, right here under our noses all this time? Oh, the _irony_! And the names too- Mikaela hosting Michael and Yuuichirou hosting Lucifer, with his name meaning 'first son'-"

Ferid's long winded rambling was cut off as Krul spun on him with a flying kick to his face. He flew into a wall with a resounding thump of flesh against stone.

" _Do you realise the severity of your actions?_ " Krul hissed, digging her sharp heel into Ferid as she stepped on him. An unseen wind was making her hair rise threateningly. "Six of my livestock are dead and all of my private guards drugged unconscious. One of the legendary Eyes nearly died and its equally legendary counterpart has escaped. _One_ of these offences alone is enough to guarantee your execution by the laws of Sanguinem, let alone all of them."

"But you won't," Ferid said with gleaming arrogant eyes, smiling widely as Krul's face darkened. "Just like before when you couldn't kill me, because I knew where the Eye of Lucifer was. I have too much leverage on you with all your dirty little secrets, and you don't know if I have my ways of making them all public if you kill me now."

"You're right," Krul agreed graciously, making Ferid falter at the sudden switch in mood. "I may not be able to kill you, but I can certainly do _this_."

Mika shuddered as Krul began to send Ferid flying again with a series of impressive kicks. He tried to keep his body as small as possible as he cautiously began to crawl backwards, trying to use the distraction to escape-

"And where do you think you're going?" Krul's voice interjected into Mika's ear. Mika jumped and scrambled back only to have a dangerously sharp finger pressed against his throat. He swallowed, feeling Krul's fingernail bob with the movement, and looked up at his captor.

Krul's eyes bored into his own with a frightening intensity that made Mika want to run far, far away.

"Looks like my plans will have to change. Leaving the Eye of Lucifer alone under security has led to this mess. This time, I'm not letting an Eye escape again. Mikaela Hyakuya, you will be bound to me in loyalty and blood."

Krul bit her own tongue without flinching and pushed Mika down, restraining his arms and legs with her inhuman strength. Mika struggled wildly to no avail. He could only watch in absolute horror as cold lips were pressed against his own and Krul's blood forced down his throat.

He arched his back and screamed.

* * *

Author's notes: Welcome back to your regular dose of feels, ulterior agendas and what-the-heck-is-going-on plot developments !

Chapters will be coming out more regular now that I'm back from my Holiday Without A Laptop (The Agony).

At this point I can now say without spoiling that the plot will loosely follow canon but the focus will be on the two Eyes and Yuu and Mika's relationship. The plot will get more divergent as it progresses until we have an original ending.

Also a reminder the song playlists at the start of each chapter are there if you feel like listening to them :)


	10. Suffering

**Song playlist:** Breath Of Life by Florence and the Machine

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 **Suffering**

 _/sʌf(ə)rɪŋ/_

 _1\. the condition of one who suffers; the bearing of pain, distress or hardship_

 _2\. undergo martyrdom or execution_

* * *

Mika could taste Krul's blood in his mouth. That was all he could focus on- the lingering aftertaste that should have been disgusting, yet was metallically addictive like sour candy.

He hated himself for the way his tongue ran along his pointed teeth against his will, trying to catch every last smear.

He hated himself for lots of things by now.

"Your new quarters," Krul interrupted his deteriorating thoughts. She swept her hand toward the door, the calmly arrogant regal twirl of someone used to and expecting to be obeyed.

Mika obeyed.

Twisting the polished door handle, Mika was unperturbed by having his back exposed to the vampire queen. What did it matter anymore? This was the day he had given in the his bloodlust, to the tantalising drip of blood flowing from Krul's wrist as she sliced it open to sway him to drink.

Now he was no different to the creatures his innocent Yuu hated the most. Pathetic, vile, _a monster._

So he listlessly took in his surroundings with a dull apathy, as if his heart had been crushed of all energy. The luxuriously wide room, the gold braided red curtains, the plush carpet, the silk woven tapestries- they only fuelled the fire to his self-hatred.

All the gold in the world couldn't blind him to his new status as the Queen's pet.

In a twist of dark irony as soon as the thought filled his mind, Mika felt something cold press against his throat. Mika berated himself for his absentmindedness.

 _Why would the vampire queen want someone inferior to enter a room before her?_

He staggered as he was forced to bend over backwards, Krul pulling him down from the back of his collar. "What-" he choked out.

"Shhh," Krul hushed, as if Mika was a startled animal. In the corner of his vision Mika saw her click something around his neck with a resounding note of finality. Krul batted away his hands reaching up, instead dragging him across the room effortlessly like a rag doll.

Standing before the full-length mirror, Mika's reflection stared wildly back at him. Krul stood smiling wickedly at his side, her arm looped into his like a possessive child with a new toy.

His neck was now adorned with an intricate gold choker embedded with blood red rubies and pearls.

"Get it off me," Mika trembled. "This- I don't want- I'm not a pet, not your pet."

He scrambled at the hard metal, trying to find any hooks or clasps. There were none. It was sealed permanently.

"Get it off me, get it off me, _get it off me!_ "

He sank to the floor, fingers digging painfully into his flesh now as he tried to pry the choker off him. It was useless. In the reflection Krul draped her thin arms around his shoulders from behind.

Mika couldn't stop the tiny sob that escaped him.

"Shhh, shhhh" Krul hushed again, stroking Mika's face. "There, there, calm down."

"Then get this collar off me!"

"It's for your own protection. There will be those who will try to interfere with you for your mere favouritism from me, and countless more once they find out what you are. And" –Krul's arms tightened around Mika- "no one will dare touch what has been marked _mine_."

Krul straightened herself up tall. "As long as you live under and are loyal to me, you will live in the lap of luxury. I can decorate you in gems, drape you in the finest silks- anything for my dearest treasure."

"But that's all I am, isn't it? An object for you to possess," Mika replied bitterly.

Krul simply gave Mika's head an affectionate pat and turned to leave.

"Rest now, my treasure."

"Wait!"

Mika didn't know who was more surprised by his hand grasping at Krul's sleeve, as if he were a child begging his parent not to leave. He averted his eyes but didn't drop it.

"You said you'd give me anything, right?"

"That's correct," Krul confirmed, titling her head questioningly.

"I want to know about what these "Eyes" are- the Eye of Michael, the Eye of Lucifer, what they've got to do with Yuu and me- everything."

Mika looked Krul right in the eyes, desperately trying to make his eyes shine as blue as possible. Krul blinked slowly at the sight before sighing and flopping down on the bed.

"Your manipulation techniques are sloppy but still cute"- Mika flushed- "but as a vampire it'll serve you well with practice. It'll also serve you well to know about your history to bring the most out of your powers."

"So you'll tell me?"

"I will, if you come sit here," Krul said, tapping her foot twice. Mika stared- she couldn't possibly mean…well, he had lowered himself to worse before. He had to find out the truth if it involved Yuu.

Mika swallowed his pride and crawled over to Krul's feet, curling up with his back to Krul's legs and his arms around his knees.

"Good boy," Krul praised sickly sweetly. Mika's stomach clenched at the hand that began running through his hair but he held himself still.

"The story of the Eye of Michael and the Eye of Lucifer is common knowledge to all vampires, an ancient legend but known nonetheless. We do not age like humans do so we held on to the knowledge that was long forgotten by their kind…"

* * *

Rumours were being whispered in certain groups and circles, small bits of information being circulated within the shadows of Sanguinem.

"They say a group of livestock tried to escape and Lord Ferid was shot."

"How dare such scum lay hands on a noble?!"

"But have you heard what's being speculated?"

Dark looks flitted between the group of vampires, wary but thirsty for the golden coin in the Underworld- knowledge.

"Some things are better left unsaid," one of them warned, spinning a blade between their fingers. "Especially if it involves the private matters of the nobility and higher."

"But everyone here is thinking it," another pressed. Their crimson eyes shone in the dim light. "That the Eyes were somehow involved in the drama."

"That old tale?" came a sceptical scoff. "Don't be ridiculous. It's impossible."

"Hmmm, how did it go again? That well known tale?"

"You're not fooling anyone, you just have a flair for wanting to tell stories."

"Long, long ago there were two deities named Michael and Lucifer…"

* * *

"Deities? Like gods?" Mika asked, caught in rapt attention.

"Humans and their limited definitions," Krul scoffed. "Gods aren't the correct word. The closest you can call them in your understanding are powerful beings beyond the laws of all other creatures.

These two deities existed to balance each other. Two sides of a coin, two weights on a scale. But for reasons of their own they were locked in strife in eternal war against each other."

* * *

"They say they battled for a hundred years."

"I've heard it was a thousand years."

"It's impossible to tell," someone murmured, shaking their head. "The records of the ancient war have been lost to even us vampires. All we have is the stories passed down by word of mouth from the First Vampire Ancestors."

* * *

Mika looked faintly sceptical. "First you tell me deities exist, now that there's a Light side and a Dark side?"

"Impudent child, watch your tongue. The magics are highly revered amongst us." Krul's hand tightened warningly in Mika's hair. She loosened it when Mika lowered his head submissively. "Vampires and creatures of the Underworld realm are more naturally disposed towards Dark magic. Our First Vampire Ancestors fought under Lucifer, the leader of the Dark, against Michael's army of the Light."

"And the Light won?"

"Of course not. It came to a draw after a final battle where Michael and Lucifer came to a resolution between them. But they realised the destruction they had wrought upon the human realm and had to suffer for their sins."

Mika found himself gnawing at his lip with his elongated canines.

* * *

The vampire storyteller covered their right eye with their hand.

"The right eye for Michael" –and switched to cover their left eye – "and the left eye for Lucifer. That was the price they paid to atone for their sins- to gouge out their eyeballs, turning their body mortal, and for their spirit to inhabit their Eye after they died.

And the Eyes would be gifted to human carriers, "beholders of the Eyes", as it was their realm that was damaged. The Eyes would be passed down to whomever Fate and Destiny saw worthy to keep the balance between Light and Dark."

"This is foolish," the vampire with the blade sneered. They flipped it and laid it flat on their thigh. "Only fools would linger on a past long dead. No beholders of Eyes have been born for countless centuries now."

* * *

"I'm the beholder of the Eye of Michael," Mika whispered numbly. "And- when you were talking to Ferid- and the orphanage- the Eye of Lucifer must be Yuu."

"Clever boy," Krul crooned. "So you've got some intelligence as well as manipulation skills."

"You and Ferid were surprised to see my Eye. You didn't know I had the Eye of Michael," Mika's words came faster now as everything clicked into place in his mind. He twisted around to face Krul. "But you already knew that Yuu had the Eye of Lucifer. So now that he's escaped, you're claiming me openly as your pet to stop me getting away from you."

"Clever…" Krul stared at Mika for a few seconds. "Maybe too clever. Rest for now and sleep."

This time Mika let Krul leave wordlessly, too overwhelmed by all that had happened and all that he had been told.

* * *

"But if there really is a new beholder…" a vampire trailed off, not daring to voice aloud the question they were all thinking.

 _…where do our loyalties lie?_

* * *

The curtains were shut, blocking all artificial light. Underneath the heavy blankets Mika was curled up tightly in the bed.

It was pitch black. Mika shivered violently. In the throes of his fear of the dark, Mika refused to open the curtains or light any of the lamps.

His neck was littered with bruises and scratches, clotted blood under his fingernails from trying to wrench his collar off by sheer force. By now his lips were a wrangled mess from where he had gnawed at them again and again and again.

Michael and Lucifer had to suffer to atone for their sins. Mika could let himself suffer for eternity and it would never make it up for leading his family to their deaths.

With his suffering came a unique kind of bitter, self-hateful pleasure.

Dragging the blanket further over his head Mika closed his eyes and thought of his Yuu, somewhere out there beyond his reach.

He fell asleep with blood trickling from his mutilated lips.

In his dream he opened his eyes to an achingly familiar pair of jade eyes.

"…Mika?!"

"Yuu?!"

* * *

 **Author's notes:** owari no suffering :')

This obligatory long explanation chapter was needed but I tried to make it as interesting as possible. Next chapter will be...well, you'll see. I look forward to writing it c:

Make my heart very happy by leaving a favourite and review! 3


	11. Dreams

Song playlist: Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

 **Dreams**

 _/driːmz/_

 _1\. series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep_

 _2\. cherished aspirations, ambitions, or ideals_

 _3\. unrealistic or self-deluding fantasies_

 _4\. a person(people) or thing(s) perceived as wonderful or perfect_

* * *

Yuu was in his dream, staring wide-eyed at him from across the dreamscape.

And running between them was a pure golden thread, dazzling and sparkling with life. It floated seamlessly from the back of Mika's right hand to Yuu's left, illuminating the space between them.

A single tear ran down Mika's face. His hand rose unbidden, the golden thread shifting with it, to reach out-

-only to have Yuu step forward himself, pressing his own shaking palm against Mika's. As soon as flesh met flesh, the thread flared bright and spun itself happily around their joined hands. Sparks were shooting off from their contact, melting into golden orbs in the air and beginning to float upwards like a field full of a thousand fireflies.

It felt a scene from a fairy tale.

Mika never wanted this dream to end.

"Yuu," Mika breathed reverently. Their foreheads were touching now, fingers in their joined hands intertwined.

"Mika," Yuu whispered back. There was no need to speak louder so close together. "Mika, why am I dreaming of you?"

"I don't know. More like, why am _I_ dreaming of you?"

"You're not real," Yuu shook his head. "You're…you're not alive anymore."

The absence of the cold choker at his neck and the heavy fangs in his mouth only served as a cruel reminder. "No. I'm not."

The half lie tasted bitter on his tongue, like the time he had tried the leftover dregs of coffee from his parents' mugs.

Even when facing the ghost of his imagination, lying to Yuu felt _wrong_.

"So what, is this how messed up my mind's become? Making up imaginary ghosts of my fuck ups?" Yuu's voice turned angrier, more fragile.

"What-"

Yuu's free hand grabbed on to Mika's front, clenching whatever shirt Mika was wearing in his dream. Mika could count the teardrops on Yuu's eyelashes before they came trailing down his cheeks.

"Because it's all my fault! I left you like a coward and ran away! I should have saved you."

With Yuu falling to his knees, Mika followed him down in unison. The thread wrapped around their still joined hands was pulsing erratically.

"I wasn't strong enough. I-I" Yuu stopped, gasping on a sob. "I got my own family killed. I don't deserve to be the one who lived. Mika, I should have saved you."

"Yuu, it wasn't your fault-!"

"I'm sorry, so sorry, Mika-"

And Yuu was crying too much to speak anymore, burying his head into Mika's shoulder and trembling hard. Mika drew their intertwined hands up to their chests, using his other hand to pull Yuu into a gripping hug.

"No Yuu, it was my fault. I made the stupid plan, I dragged everyone along to their deaths. All the blame is mine," Mika pressed fiercely. "I was a fool."

Now there were tears of his own streaming helplessly down his face. The glowing golden orbs were shimmering, turning into drops of water hanging frozen in the air like crystals.

Yuu pulled himself back to look at Mika in teary-eyed alarm. "No, it's _my_ fault-"

"Don't you dare, it's _my_ fault-"

" _I_ was the one who-"

" _Yuu_ -" Mika growled out in frustration.

" _Mika_ ," Yuu mimicked sarcastically. They paused and glared at each other.

"You're so stubborn!" they both huffed in unison. Mika and Yuu startled at their synchronisation before giving in to the inevitable laughter.

"Oh man, this always happens with us," Yuu laughed, wiping his damp eyes with his hand. "This is one weird dream, like you're almost real. Hey, maybe you're Mika's ghost or something. If vampires exist and demon weapons here in the Imperial Army, why the hell not ghosts?"

"Imperial Army? What's that?" Mika asked confusedly.

Yuu opened his mouth to explain but stopped as he began to blink slowly.

"Huh…I feel like…gonna wake up now…"

"Yuu!"

Mika caught Yuu's slackening body as he slumped into his arms. He held on desperately but it was useless. Yuu's body was unravelling into golden thread, from his left hand to his arms to his torso and legs. The last thing to unravel was Yuu's left eye, looping loose in widening circles until it had reached the pinpoint pupil.

Mika tried to grasp onto the spools of thread but it was rapidly fading from one end to the next, until all he was left with was an armful of golden dust.

* * *

"You look better today, more well rested," Krul commented, swirling the goblet in her hand idly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes," Mika replied shortly. He sat tensely, looking down at his lap despite the extravagant spread of breakfast delicacies laid out at the banquet table before him. Porcelain plates were piled high with artful arrangements of fruits and overflowing pastries.

"Eat," Krul commanded bluntly, resting the goblet upon her high backed chair at her end of the long table.

"I thought vampires only needed blood," Mika diverted.

"Full vampires," Krul corrected. "You are a half vampire, thus your blue eyes and rounded ears. Food can help subside your cravings for blood, but only temporarily. Eat."

Mika reluctantly filled his plate with a stalk of plump grapes but didn't touch them. Krul sighed wordlessly and propped her head with her hand.

"Why aren't you eating, pet?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Your mistrust will serve you well against everyone else, but is misplaced with me."

"Forgive me for not trusting the food my captive provides," Mika said with forced mildness.

"Suit yourself then, my treasure. You'll always bow to me when your instinct for blood comes craving, drinking from the palm of my hand."

Krul titled her goblet towards Mika, showing the thick tantalising blood within. She looked exasperated as Mika gulped, clenching his fists and turning his head away defiantly.

Standing up in a flourish, Krul plucked up the goblet and walked down to Mika. Against his will, Mika's eyes were transfixed to the goblet as if it were the holy chalice itself.

"This human blood," Krul waved the goblet elegantly before Mika's face, "is what will complete your transformation to a full vampire. Drinking it now will make your life much easier, my treasure."

"Are you going to force me to drink it?" Mika managed to force out from where he had hunched over, trying to resist the tempting cloying scent.

"No."

"What?"

"I won't force you to drink human blood," Krul replied rather decidedly. "Because I know more than anyone how it feels to be trapped in a body younger than your age. Your body should be allowed to age to a suitable maturity at least, but the choice is yours."

Mika peered up at Krul in surprise. He would have thought Krul would try to control every tiny aspect of his life but…maybe he needed to revise his situation again. Some of his reluctant feelings must have shown on his face because Krul was smiling at him now.

"I take care of what is mine," she softly said, with no small amount of loftiness. "Although I can already see what a handful you will be. Behave yourself while I'm gone."

"What am I supposed to do all day?"

"You'll find your new quarters more than sufficient in amusing yourself."

Mika pushed his plate away from him as soon as Krul left, gaze flickering unwillingly to the goblet at the table before rising himself.

* * *

Any tiny amount of second thoughts Mika may have began to consider towards Krul were firmly squashed flat by now. And by squashed flat he meant stamped on, ripped apart and then thrown away into the proverbial wind.

"I'm lost," Mika tried again, wide and damp eyed. "I-I don't know where I am. I belong with the other livestock, with the other children."

Mika sniffled wobbily and buried his face in his hands. "Please help me mister! Please let me go back to my home!"

"Nice try kid," the guard scoffed at the door. His partner broke his stoic stare at Mika to glare reproachfully at him.

"Mikaela Hyakuya," the second guard intoned, turning back to Mika. Shoot, they knew who he was. "You do not have access beyond this door. Return to your quarters."

"Really? Who told you that?"

"Her Majesty's orders are absolute."

"Your orders are wrong," Mika confidently stated, switching tactics hurriedly. "The queen told me herself this morning I can have access to wherever I please. Would you like to face her punishment when I report your insubordination against her?"

Mika arched his eyebrow at them both, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. The guards almost flinched at the threat, evidently not in a hurry to face the vampire queen's wrath.

"Well? Let me pass."

"I don't think so," the first guard straightened up. "Her Majesty's rules are to follow her direct orders to the letter unless stated otherwise by herself and no one else. Makes sense, with preventing sabotage and all that."

The pointed look the guard gave Mika wasn't lost on him.

"But what if-"

"Look, just give it up kid. Turn around and go find something else to do."

Mika yawned widely and rubbed his eyes blatantly. "I'm tired, so I'm leaving because I need a nap. But I'll be back to discuss this again because you are being insubordinate and need correction."

The guards couldn't help but stare as Mika yawned again and trailed off.

"Did you see that? When he opened his mouth?"

"Yes, I was there," the second guard retorted with an undertone of dryness.

"Tiny little fangs…but he had blue eyes. So is he vampire or livestock?"

The second guard simply levelled him with a heavy look, back ramrod straight and stiff.

"I know, I know," the first guard looked somewhat chastised. "'The business of the nobles and royalty are business of their own,' everyone knows that. But you can't say you're not the least bit curious."

"Curiosity leads to questioning. Our job is to obey, not question."

"Certainly," the guard replied absently. "But just who is this Mikaela Hyakuya we're guarding?"

* * *

"Just who does she think she is?" Mika muttered to himself, curled up in the red cushion of an ornament armchair. Right, stupid question. The ruler and queen of the city, that's who she knew she was.

His chin resting on his drawn up knees, Mika sighed.

He gazed unseeing at the burnt orange flames, leaping high and crackling in the fireplace before him. At his back were the toweringly high bookshelves of his own private library- one of the many luxuries of his new living quarters. Mika had spent futile hours wandering the aisles, trying to find a map or hint of his location to no avail. All of his books had been undoubtedly carefully censored for his readership.

But what frustrated him were the ever-diligent guards at the corridor doors, courtesy of Krul Tepes, who just _wouldn't budge_.

He was trapped like a songbird in a golden cage.

Was this how he was going to spend the rest of his life?

The heat of the fire, no doubt lit only for his comfort as he couldn't imagine vampires needing warmth, lulled him asleep where he sat.

He found himself dreaming of a shimmering night sky, stars sparkling like white diamonds adorning the galaxies. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Hey Mika."

Mika lolled his head, finding Yuu lying beside him on the grassy bank. His eyes were as bright as the stars above them.

"Hey Yuu," Mika smiled back and began to trace each constellation with his finger, naming them like gifts to share with Yuu.

At least here in his dreams, he could pretend everything was okay.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** _Make my heart very happy by leaving a favourite and review! 3_


	12. Escape

Song playlist: No One's Here to Sleep by Naught Boy ft Bastille

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

 **Escape**

 _/ɪˈskeɪp/_

 _1\. an act of breaking free from confinement or control_

 _2\. a form of temporary distraction from reality or routine_

* * *

Day six.

Day six was the day Mika _truly_ began to lose his mind.

Granted, day three had been particularly trying. That was the day Mika had resorted to filching the fireplace poker from the library. One second he was talking distractingly a mile per minute, leaning his weight casually against the iron rod, the next he had twirled it between his fingers and thrust into the vulnerable flesh of one of the guard's neck.

At least, needless to say, he had _tried_ to. The guard hadn't even bothered to unsheathe his sword. Who on earth blocks a murder attempt with a single finger? Vampires, apparently, that's who.

The pat on his head had been less than amusing to Mika.

Now Mika paced around his bedroom in a relentless circle, the plush red carpet already wearing down from days of walking back and forth. With each failed attack the guards became more on guard, harder to fool, harder to escape.

"Is there even a way to escape from here?" Mika muttered to himself, scrubbing his hand down his face. Wasn't talking to yourself the first sign of insanity?

"Ow!"

His frustration made him scrub harder than intended, making him hiss as his fingernails scratched his cheeks. His hand lowered. Staring at his elongated nails made Mika's built up self-loathing well up like a tidal wave.

He hated himself for failing to protect his family. For leading them to their deaths like a smiling grim reaper. For being too naive, too stupid, too slow. And now he was trapped here, unable to escape, for the rest of his miserable life.

And the tidal wave _crashed down._

Before he knew it, Mika was dragging his nails down the back of his hands, first somewhat tentatively, then bolder and harsher as he grew used to the scraping pain. His nails reached higher, clawing at the flesh of his arms in fast paced scratches that left jagged cuts in his skin.

Blood was pooling up the lines and trickling down like small rivers, purifying his tainted body of his filthy vampire blood.

It hurt. It hurt _so bad._ But Mika couldn't stop, caught in a horrifying agonising channel of release from everything.

Someone like him deserved to get hurt.

Mika's hands stopped to push his nails deeper in punishment, sinking into his upper arms.

All of a sudden the wall torches in his room flared up from their muted orange glow to a brilliant white light. Mika gasped and staggered back, his hands leaving his arms to shield his eyes from the blinding sheer whiteness. It was almost as if the light was…reproaching him, wanted him to stop?

As soon as the thought flitted through Mika's mind the white light died down, as if it had never existed. Mika slowly uncovered his face.

What had just happened?

The confusion melted away to something else, something static and flickering as he stared at the torches.

Something that felt dangerously like hope.

* * *

"Oi oi, he's back again," the right guard muttered to his partner. The two guards stood as diligent as ever, one in front of each side of the double doors. With their inhumanely still postures and hooded cowls shadowing their faces, they looked as imposing as a pair of twin Cerebuses.

Mika stopped himself from gulping as he approached them. Drawn in shoulders, lowered gaze, don't make eye contact. Look as non-threatening and submissive as possible. Living with his parents had taught him many tricks- the hard way rather than easy.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mika felt a swell of prickly anticipation as the guards' eyes tracked the lantern swinging in his hand.

"Mikaela Hyakuya," the left guard greeted in his monotone droll. Even he had begun to warm up a little after being pestered by Mika at least three times a day.

"What's this then?" the right guard asked much more cheerfully, as if Mika's antics were a perpetual source of amusement to him. "Are you going to try and set us on fire? Because the glass is unbreakable, you know."

"No," Mika said, shuffling a little in embarrassment. "It's just…I was wondering if maybe…you could check my lantern? It's kind of dim and hard to read with at night."

"Uh, sure kid," the right guard replied bemusedly. "Pass it here, won't you?"

Their fingers brushed as the lantern was lifted from Mika by its coiled metal handle. A beat passed. The guard hummed thoughtfully, lifting the lantern near his face to inspect it.

"These things are magic powered so we'd have to drop it by the mage guild to fix. We'll have someone send it down later today."

"What are you doing?" the left guard cut in sharply. His gaze hadn't moved from Mika, fixing him under his stony gaze.

"Nothing," Mika said confusedly. "I'm just standing here?"

Behind his back Mika had begun to scratch long and hard at his arms, shuffling his hands underneath his long sleeves.

"What are you hiding behind your back?"

"I'm not hiding anything," Mika assured. As if to prove his point, Mika crossed his arms in plain sight and looked back demurely at the left guard. He tried to subtly sink his nails into his upper arms as painfully as possible.

It definitely was hurting; so why wasn't it working?

"Mikaela Hyakuya, desist this harmful behaviour," the guard frowned severely. "Her Majesty will be displeased for her property to be damaged."

"I'm not doing anything at all," he evaded, like a soldier fighting a rapidly losing battle.

The right guard stopped his inspection of the lantern and lowered it, looking curiously between his partner and Mika. "What's going on here?"

No no no, he had to put the lantern close to him. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Mika began gnaw his lip as he clawed at his arms, not caring anymore about the guards seeing.

"What the- what is he doing?!"

"Is this some kind of livestock practice?"

Blood was clotting underneath his nails, his flesh beginning to swell red and ugly.

"Come on, work dammit!" Why, why, _why_ wasn't it working? Was it just a one-time fluke? A crazy hallucination?

 _Because this is not the way_ , a voice murmured in his mind.

"Then what _is_ the way?" Mika snarled aloud, ignoring the guards' looks at each other, desperate and ready to push himself to all harm to succeed.

 _Why?_ the voice asked, patient and smooth

Wasn't it obvious? Because that question only had one answer. Everything was, always had been, always will be for his most important person-

-the guards were reaching forward to grab his arms and hold him still-

-for Yuu.

 _ **That** is the way._

A sharp crack like lightning filled the air. The lantern shuddered and exploded into the same blinding white light from earlier, piercing forth and filling every crevice and crack. The guards let out shrill screeches as the light touched their bodies, their flesh sizzling and hissing. There was a clanging of metal lantern hitting stone floor.

It was too bright to see anything.

But Mika could see perfectly clear. Everything looked like charcoal black outlines on a sheet of crisp white paper, with every small detail carefully sketched. He backed away from the guards as they hunched over in agony, trying to cover themselves away from the merciless light.

He looked down and saw the Eye of Michael staring back at him from his right hand.

It was laughably easy for Mika to walk past the guards, push open the doors and run for freedom.

* * *

A silent nod to show the blood trail had been located. A subtle sleight of hand to indicate the direction to follow. With their shadowy robes and royal insignia on their chests, the queen's private guards were as efficient as they were deadly.

Like smoke dissipating in the wind, the four guards flew down the shadows of the long corridors. With the fluidity of long practice and skill, they charged into their targeted room. They were poised in perfect formation- one at the front, one at the back and two at each side.

Any and all threats would be eliminated mercilessly. For this mission, Mikaela Hyakuya would be found and bought back to their queen.

They were met by the silence of the shower rooms, empty save for the pitter patter of the showerheads left fully open. In the far corner a richly embroidered tunic was scrunched up in the corner, the sleeves flecked with faded red stains.

The front guard impassively picked up the tunic. Streams of water ran from the shirt, to the tiled floor and into the sieve like drains in the floor.

"The target washed his injuries clean and discarded his shirt in the showers to wash away the scent," the guard stated, their voice like the shuffle of a knive against its sheathe. "There is some scent remaining. This fabric will be used to locate the target."

In a flash of silver, the tunic was slashed into four pieces in mid air and in the blink of an eye each guard had a piece in their hand. They fell back into the shadows and into the silent run of the hunter.

* * *

Mika was lost.

Getting past the doors? That had been a walk in the park, if he ignored all his painstaking efforts and the time it had taken. But trying to actually find his way to the surface? Well, that was proving to be annoyingly hard.

If Mika were in his old home he would have been able to retrace the path to the exit they had found just fine. But right now he had no weapons, no map and no clue what part of the vampire city he has win.

Even with his bare feet, every footstep Mika took sounded too loud in the deserted passageways. They were like an endless maze of twists and corners with no windows in sight. Mika rubbed his eyes as he edged cautiously along the walls, his vision blurring in and out of focus.

Whatever had happened earlier with the lantern and light, it felt like it had drained him and left him feeling sluggishly tired. At least he had been able to wash away his blood (because Mika had learnt his lesson from Yuu's blood and the stray vampire) and change into a spare set of training uniform that looked swimmingly large on him.

Because that didn't look suspicious _at all._

Mika stifled a yawn and almost stumbled past an open door. Instead he caught himself in the nick of time, stumbling backwards instead and onto his bottom.

That snapped him into attention. He froze, hoping no one with their vampiric ears had heard him. A voice was carrying through the door in the clear and authoritative tone teachers loved to hold.

"The Japanese Imperial Demon Army is the foremost threat to our nation here in the land of Japan. Unlike the vast majority of humans, this group has adjusted themselves most rapidly in attack against us due to their experience with magic and otherworld creatures, however pathetically limited that experience may be-"

This sounded awfully like a lecture, maybe one for the vampire soldiers. Wait, hadn't Yuu mentioned something about some "imperial army" in their first dream? With a burning curiosity, Mika pressed his ear into the wall to hear better.

"-the leader is named Tenri Hiragi and is a level one target. Any soldier who can present this livestock's head or drained body to our queen will be rewarded most handsomely-"

So did this mean that the Imperial Army was real? But that meant that…. Mika's mind was working furiously and he barely caught the tail end of what was being said.

"-are notorious for their experimentation on their own kind and on us vampires alike. The Japanese Imperial Demon Army is a danger and must be eradicated to establish peace on this realm. This is every soldier's duty- to protect the citizens and to be loyal to Her Majesty Supreme."

 _Experimentation._ No, not again, no….Mika's face paled, turning his usual milky complexion a deathly white. His breaths became laboured, flashbacks charging through his mind like an electrical circuit exploding. He couldn't hold in his whimper as he sunk to the floor and struggled to find any air.

The voice from the room fell ominously silent mid word.

Mika clambered up, grasping at the wall as he broke into a dash. They must have heard him, he was going to be found out, how could he out run a vampire especially when his head was pounding from exhaustion and he _couldn't breathe._

He had the vague impression of four figures enclosing around him like a square cage of bodies before he passed out.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** I swear it feels harder to write this fic with every chapter but here is the new chapter at last! I wonder a lot if the rating M is too high for this fic (cos there isn't going to be any sex or romance) but then I remember there are chapters which are darker like these ones.

Also the song playlist for this chapter gives me so many feels (T^T)

Make my heart very happy by leaving a favourite and review! 3


	13. Conviction

**Song playlist:** Buy the Stars by Mariana and the Diamonds

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

 **Conviction**

 _/kənˈvɪkʃ(ə)n/_

 _1\. the act of convincing [appearing worthy of belief; plausible]_

 _2\. a fixed or firmly held opinion, belief etc_

* * *

This time he was dreaming of being perched on a cliff face, like a bird teetering on a delicate string. The stone itself held sheen of silver creating a soft glow. But even with its gentle light nothing could be seen below the cliff except for a pitch black darkness.

Like always, Yuu was pressed against his side.

"Woah!" Yuu yelped as he came to his bearings and looked down. He hastily scooted back a little and crossed his legs. "That's a scary height man. Can't even see if there's a bottom."

"It doesn't scare me," Mika mused, legs dangling callously at the edge. "Jumping down doesn't seem that bad an idea."

"Why the fuck would you jump?" Yuu asked in bewilderment. "Is this one of those 'if someone told you to jump would you do it' things?"

"Of course I wouldn't jump if someone told me to," Mika seemed almost offended at the notion. "I'm not stupid. But if it was for you…I would jump without hesitation."

Yuu's face heated and he looked away. "Idiot. As if I'd ever ask you to jump and kill yourself. Well, kill yourself more as a ghost. Can ghosts even die twice? I haven't got a clue in hell how this ghosty business goes."

"Eloquent as ever Yuu," Mika snorted and Yuu punched him in the arm.

"Shut it."

Mika punched Yuu's arm back softly and they shared a smile. Above them a shooting star trailed across the night sky.

"Hey Yuu?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you really living with the Imperial Army?"

"Yeah, they found me after I got out of the bloodsuckers' city and took me in. I'm living with one of their guys now."

"Are you…happy with him?"

"What?" Yuu asked, a bit flustered. "No! I mean, yeah, I don't know. He's a jerk and stupid but he's not always bad, I guess.

"Yuu," Mika pressed, leaning closer. "You have to leave that army. Run away, get as far away as possible and don't look back."

"What?" Yuu repeated again blankly. "What the hell, why?!"

"Humans are greedy, Yuu. They'll deceive and hurt you. This Imperial Army, they're not the good guys. They experiment on people! They'll manipulate you and experiment on you and you have to get away before it's too late."

Yuu inhaled sharply and his eyebrows furrowed. He was quiet for a minute before asking, "Are you sure? How do you know?"

"I just do Yuu. Don't you trust me?"

"I trust you Mika." Yuu exhaled and looked up at the stars. "But I don't care. They can use me all they want. If it means I can fight vampires and get revenge for you, I'll do anything. I would jump off this cliff too for you, you know."

Mika opened his mouth but Yuu held a finger to Mika's lips and smiled at him. "Don't be such a hypocrite now Mika. I can look after myself. Don't you trust _me_?"

And Mika sighed roughly because really, how could he explain how Yuu's Eye made him a prime target for humans without bringing up the end of the world disaster?

"Besides, where would I go if I left the army? Everything is a wasteland out there full of monsters. It's a different world out there to what we dreamed of, Mika."

"That's true," Mika had to reluctantly agree. "You'll tell me if they try anything, right?"

"Sure, if you want."

 _Please tell me,_ Mika pleaded silently. _I want you to be happy and safe from all the filthy humans who want to use you._

Another shooting star fell down, before fizzling out into silver star dust and floating down into their moonlit hair.

* * *

Mika's mind still felt fuzzy like leftover static. He blinked awake to a familiar set of velvet red curtains and four golden bedposts above him.

Krul Tepes was sitting next to his pillow in a chair, a stack of paperwork on the bedside table. She did not look amused.

"Well?" she asked after the silence had dragged on enough far beyond the point of uncomfortable. Comfortable was a million miles away and on hiatus. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Mika sat up slowly like a prey cornered by a predator and brushed his unruly hair out of his face. He didn't have anything to apologise for when he did nothing wrong, is what he wanted to say. What he said instead was, "I apologise profusely for my behaviour, Your Majesty."

"Such lies," Krul hissed. Her unreadable facial expression was quite terrifying. "You don't feel even a minuscule of regret, you ungrateful wretch. Here I am, draping you in the lap of luxury and protection and this is how you repay me?"

"I didn't ask for this!" Mika shouted back before he could stop himself. He covered his hand with his mouth and looked away quickly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that-"

"No," Krul said chillingly. "Carry on. I want to hear your explanation for all the trouble you've caused."

"No, I just spoke out of turn-"

" _Speak_."

Mika drew in a breath and clenched the thick quilt. "I…I'm not like your species. I was bought up as human and I'm still half human. And I don't know how it is with vampires, but if you keep me locked inside like this I'll go crazy. You're not protecting me- you're going to break me."

"So what would you suggest?" Krul looked like she was paying attention to what Mika was saying seriously. That was a good sign.

"Let me out. Let me join your army. Give me the means to defend myself from your enemies and from those who would try to steal me away from you."

"Nonsense," Krul shot down immediately. "Let you join my _army_? Ridiculous. Do you realise the danger you would be putting yourself into, child?"

"Do you realise how dangerous I am to myself if you keep me here?"

"No," Krul said deliberately. "I don't think I do. This is merely a childish temper tantrum. With time you will learn to accept your place."

"I see," Mika ducked his head. "So you don't understand."

"The one who doesn't understand is you. You _will_ behave yourself, or else."

"I'll just have to make you understand then," Mika said with an unnatural calmness. "If you give me my freedom and enlist me in your army, I'll behave myself. No more escape attempts while I'm under your service. But if you don't accept this offer, I will _never_ stop trying. And on top of that, I'll do this to myself every day- until the day you can no longer bring me back."

And then Mika slit his own throat with his elongated fingernails.

Gurgling on his own spurting blood, Mika last thought was that Krul's horrified face looked vindictively amusing.

As Mika slumped boneslessly, Krul reached out to hold him but her hand retreated quickly before it could touch his skin. Hot white sparks were jumping off his body as his flesh began to shimmer a silvery white sheen, exactly the same as the last time he had been injured severely.

It was no less incredible to watch the torn apart flesh knot itself back together, muscle joining itself in a seamless weave. The skin of his right hand gaped wide as the Eye of Michael rose to the surface, first as a pool of fresh blood which then solidified into its ruby like surface.

But unlike last time, runic symbols in an ancient unknown language began to form in a circle inside the Eye. They began as faint outlines that then glowed brighter and brighter until Krul was forced to cover her eyes.

When the light died down she jumped backwards out of her chair, not caring as it fell haphazardly on the door.

The boy named Mikaela Hyakuya was sitting upright on the blood soaked bed. There was a scary stillness to his poised posture, which radiated a grace far greater than any noble or monarch Krul had ever seen.

This was the aura of a being beyond all power.

"Michael," Krul whispered with a tremble.

Mika- no, _Michael_ \- lifted his head. His previously curly hair was alive with lightning, crackling and constantly shifting in its jagged snaps. The left side of his hair had fallen down to cover his face, leaving only his right burning red eye visible.

It was fixed dispassionately on Krul, as if she were less than an ant to him that was scurrying over his feet.

"You are due a discussion with me, proclaimed queen."

* * *

Mika was back in the floating dream of galaxies and space with the being of pure whiteness in front of him. Just like before the mysterious being picked a star out of the sky and held it to Mika's mouth. But the star was pulling itself away from Mika and fizzing unhappily.

The being gave a low sshhh that immediately calmed the star down. It bought it towards Mika again and this time when it touched Mika's lips, the star began to dim rapidly into a murky silver grey before it slid down Mika's throat.

 _It senses what you have turned into and resists._

"A vampire," Mika worked out dazedly.

 _A half-vampire. Thus the damage can be healed but not completely. Not yet._

The being was guiding Mika's fingers along his neck, along the knotted rope like flesh that ran along his throat. Its touch was electrifying yet soothing. Then it pulled Mika's hands down, against his own reluctance, to make Mika feel the shining scars that marked his arms.

Mika pulled his hands away and the being let him. He felt the natural instinct that if the being didn't want him to, he wouldn't have been able to move a single inch. It should have been scary the amount of power the being had.

"Don't. Please."

 _Actions have consequences. This is a lesson for you to learn._

But his scars were his weakness that Mika never wanted something as radiant and majestic as the being before him to ever see, let alone know about. He wanted to cover them up and hide.

Mika felt the being hold his hands again and instead of an impression of electricity, the fingers touching his were hardening into flesh. Looking back up, Mika saw a tall man looking back at him.

Every part of him was a single shade of white. Long white hair that was impeccably straight, save for the bolts of lightning that ran down periodically from his scalp to the very ends. White robes that flowed down from his chiseled shoulders to the floor like a waterfall. Even his skin was white in the truest sense as if it had been carved elegantly from a piece of ivory or marble.

The man let Mika stare at him with no embarrassment or impatience. His facial expression was so smooth that there was no doubt he could not be human.

When he saw Mika was done, the man said in a voice that made Mika tingle, "I believe you've deduced who I am."

"You're…you're Michael," Mika whispered. "I didn't know you could look like a human."

"I have found my beholders favour this form of mine," Michael inclined his head.

"What did you mean you can't heal the damage yet?" Mika asked hesitantly. This was Michael, the deity of unimaginable might who could probably smite Mika without even lifting a finger.

" _I would not harm my beholder_ ," Michael corrected, the electric tingle rising in his voice and making goose bumps shiver across Mika's skin. There was a pause. "My apologies. This form can be hard to contain my power sufficiently. One of the terms of our sacrifice was to limit our power when our beholders are in their infancy. Thus the power you can access from me will increase gradually with age."

Michael watched Mika rub his arms before adding mildly, "But I believe you do not feel ready yet regardless to heal these scars."

Mika dropped his arms and didn't know what to say.

"Time can be the best healer of all wounds, physical…or emotional," Michael carried on with a sharpness of insight that Mika wished he didn't have to face. "Let me ask you now- you knew the truth behind your dreams with Yuichirou, did you not?"

"…Yes," Mika confessed. "I knew. From the very first dream, I'd begun to suspect Yuu wasn't just a figment of my imagination."

"Why did you not tell him?"

"Because…I don't want to say. Don't make me say it."

"This is not for my benefit Mikaela," came the not unkind reply. "I already know the truths in your heart better than you do."

"Then why are you asking me?"

"Because you must admit them to yourself if you wish to progress. Denial will only hold you back."

Mika shuddered and said very quietly, "Because I didn't want him to know. Because then he'd find out how I've been living as a collared pet. Because I became the very creature he hates the most and I couldn't- couldn't bear knowing Yuu hates me."

Michael wrapped his lean arms around Mika, wiping away the tears that had begun to run down his face. He placed a kiss on Mika's forehead with a jolting warmth and murmured, "Thank you, for baring your soul to me. You will find when you awaken the vampire queen amendable to agreement to your offer."

"You talked to her," Mika realised. "What did you say to make her change her mind?"

"She is not stubborn to the point of illogic. Even she would prefer you in her army rather than suicidal. She would also prefer you awake rather than in a magic induced coma from me for the rest of your life."

"You threatened her with _putting me in a coma_?"

"If you continue your destructive behaviour to yourself, certainly," Michael confirmed nonchalantly, as if he threatened to put people into life long comas every day. Deities really were on a whole other level to human thinking. It was frightening and yet here he was in Michael's embrace.

"I would never harm my beholder," Michael repeated again firmly. He let Mika go and the stars around them began to spin in circles faster and faster. "One last heart truth before you awaken. Why do you wish to join the queen's army? What is your conviction?"

Mika found this truth much easier to say aloud.

"Because I'm going to become an elite fighter, join the frontlines and find Yuu."

Mika looked back with a fierce spark in his eyes, a new flame to his previously dulled eyes.

"And then I will _definitely save him_."

* * *

 **Author's notes:** You know, you can just ignore my description of Michael and think "super super hot guy, but like a greek god level of hot" ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Make my heart very happy by leaving a favourite and review! 3


	14. Grief

Song playlist: Drumming Song by Florence and the Machine

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

 **Grief**

 _/gri:f/_

 _1\. deep or intense sorrow or distress, especially at the death of someone_

 _2\. irritation, frustration or difficulty_

* * *

The sun was rising.

It lit up the winter sky like a candle in a glass lantern, warming the soft snow banks from crisp white into soft oranges and yellows. Feathery snowflakes twirled down slowly from the cotton puff clouds and onto the roof of the military truck.

From the back of the truck, Yuu sat hunched over on one of the benches. His red-rimmed eyes were gazing down at his blood soaked hands, at the blood caked underneath his fingernails and staining his skin crimson.

This was the same blood that had gushed out of Mika's chest and shoulder. These were the same hands that had pressed desperately against the open wounds barely an hour ago, or even less. It was hard to tell in the confusion and daze.

This was Mika's blood on his hands, and Mika was now dead.

"Oi, brat."

A blanket fluttered over Yuu, coarse gray and woollen. Its weight itself slid down, uncovering Yuu's head. He couldn't help looking at the man who had rescued him sitting opposite him. His eyes had been shut the entire journey so far. With his crossed arms and knees, he looked disinterestedly outside even while he spoke.

"Don't cause me a headache and freeze to death," came the flat drawl.

Yuu let the blanket sit on his shoulders, still with his head bent and watching how the material had smeared the blood further across his flesh in downward streaks.

There was a deep sigh before the man continued, "Look, you're free now. Why don't you look outside at the sparkling sun, enjoy seeing the sky for the first time, all that shit?"

Yuu didn't respond, but he followed the man's gaze to open back of the truck. Despite the cracked roads and crumbling buildings, the outside world was even wider than Yuu could have imagined. The sky seemed to stretch out to infinity and a single bird circled around the captivating sun before flying away.

The sky was dazzlingly bright and even with the bitingly cold wind, Yuu could feel its warm rays. He was reminded of an even more dazzling smile and long nights daydreaming of freedom together in the glowing candlelight.

A single tear trickled down Yuu's damp cheek and splashed onto his red, red hands.

* * *

Red was the only colour in the clinically white room.

The red was the blood being sucked out of Yuu's veins and into the injection tube. It stood out vividly against his deathly pale flesh and the blank whiteness of the walls and tiles.

Yuu sat with his arm offered up like a zombie, the other limp at his side. He hadn't flinched as the needle had sunk into his upper arm with the short command of, "Lift your arm. Hold it still."

He didn't flinch either a few minutes later as a succession of needles were jabbed into his other arm, like a quick attack of fanged snake bites. Everything had cooled down from red hot into an icy blue numbness.

The white coated man turned his back on Yuu to wipe the needles on the metal trolley sterile clean. "Your medical check up is complete. Return to your quarters."

And as silent as a tomb, Yuu got up from the frigid plastic chair and walked out of the door.

The man sat down at his desk and for the next few moments, the room was devoid of sound save for the rapid scribbling of pen against paper. The ink blue pen stilled as a shadow loomed over the stacks of reports.

Turning around, the man tightened his tie and saluted. "Lieutenant Ichinose, sir."

"At ease," Guren said evenly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Brat gone off then?"

"He just left, sir."

"Good grief, I told him to wait. He's gonna be a right troublemaker," Guren grumbled with a pinched expression. "Well? How'd the testing go? Did you get a blood sample?"

"Yes sir, we'll have it sent to the lab to be examined straight away. The subject's health was in surprisingly good condition considering his living circumstances. We can only presume the vampires were taking precautions to feed him well, but he was given several vaccinations against common diseases to be safe."

"Good," Guren murmured. "We don't need diseases spreading in these walls, or having him dying on us."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, make sure you send me the reports once you're done, got it? I'm trusting this job to your team."

"Yes, sir! It's truly an honour, sir."

"Damn right it is," Guren's lips quirked up slightly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a annoying kid to go babysit."

As the man saluted once again, Guren turned his back on the straight-backed gesture and left. His sword clanked against his leg with every slouched stride. Left, right, left, left, right. Each corner seemed to twist sharply in a metal maze of rigid corridors. Guren didn't falter as he strolled his way through like oil flowing on water.

It didn't take long for him to reach the iron door hidden in a discreet corner and push the door handle down.

"Tch," Guren muttered. "Oi, brat! Turn the damn lights on!"

There was no reply. Guren tched again and unabashedly let himself in the lockless door. His hand wandered wildly along the grainy wall, unseeing in the pitch-blackness, until it found the light switch and flicked it.

The yellow light from the ceiling illuminated the room, decent sized in all fairness. A wooden kitchen table, two wooden chairs, wooden floorboards. A modest cushy sofa sat at the end of the room, near another door shut firmly closed.

Undeterred, Guren strode right over and slammed the door open. Through the opening, a rectangle of light from the living room broke into the darkness. A vague outline of a human sized lump on the bed could barely be made out.

"Hey, I know you're under there," Guren addressed the lump. There was still no reply. "Ignoring me, huh? Is this how you treat your saviour?"

There was a shuffling stirring, and then a mumble, "'m not ignoring you."

"Then how long are you going to stay like this?"

"…"

"It's nearly been a week already. Get up, you lazy ass."

"…Fuck off."

"Really? Is this how you're gonna spend the rest of your life, sulking here in the dark? …Fine, act some like snot nosed kid. See if I care. It's not my job to babysit you."

In the now highly-strung tension, Guren paused on his way out to cast his gaze on the unspeaking and unmoving figure. "By the way, your cupboards and fridge have been stocked up. Go eat something before you starve yourself to an early grave."

There was the sound of footsteps echoing quieter and the distant bang of the front door closing before Yuu allowed himself to crack his eyes open. With the curtains pulled shut and the light switched off, Yuu stared blankly for a while in the darkness.

Everything felt painfully hot and numb at the same time. It hurt…his heart wouldn't stop hurting…

He clutched at his chest and let himself be dragged away from the wakeful world.

"Yuu…"

"Where are you?"

"Save us, big brother…"

His mind was scurrying with whispers. Gripping at his head, Yuu groaned and staggered blindly. His bare foot stepped in something wet, squelchy, thick. He looked down and screamed.

He was standing in a sea of ruby red blood. Yuu took a few steps back but his legs felt like stone in the thick current that gurgled and flooded as far as he could see. He could smell its cloying stench, could feel its liquid between his toes and thighs.

Then the sea began to rise.

Yuu's heart leapt into his throat as the blood level climbed higher, from his legs to his hips to his torso. He began to run, or at least tried to run with the liquid clawing at his flesh and growing thicker and thicker. There was a wave that crashed into his eyes and when he opened them again, there was a row of crucifixes looming in the distance out of his reach.

And tied to each thorny cross was each of the children from the orphanage.

Yuu's struggles took on a frenzied fever as he fought to get to reach his family members, to set them free and help them. Their pleading calls were loud and clear, screaming at him for help. The waves of the sea were twining into spiked vines, wrapping around his arms and legs until he couldn't even breathe.

"Why aren't you saving us?"

"You're weak…too weak to help us…"

"Weak."

"Weak."

"Weak."

And the chanting grew louder until it was a clanging clamour like church bells ringing, like anvils striking on iron and striking him down.

Yuu gasped and woke up with a ringing in his ears and a scream still on his lips. His shirt was drenched with sweat like he had been plunged into the sea and drops rolled along his skin. He sat there with his pounding heart with his dream still battering at his head.

Weak. He was weak. What was he still doing here? He needed to…what did he need to do? What was he doing here, living with the humans with these unknown army people?

 _Is this how you're gonna spend the rest of your life, sulking here in the dark?_ Guren's words echoed back to him and Yuu felt himself stiffen. No, no he wasn't.

He was going to avenge his family.

* * *

"Lieutenant Ichinose!"

A soldier knocked at the solid ornate door and waited. After a few seconds they knocked again. Still no response. She fidgeted from foot to foot before pushing the door open herself. "Excuse me sir, pardon me for coming in uninvited but there's an emergency and-"

The soldier stopped at the sight of their esteemed Lieutenant leaning back in his chair, feet propped on his desk between mountains of papers and snoring loudly.

"Um- Lieutenant- Lieutenant Ichinose?" she tried to raise their voice. "Lieutenant Guren Ichinose, sir?"

Guren snorted, barely catching himself from falling off the leather chair. "What- I swear I've done the paperwork Shinya, go away- oh, the hell do you want?"

"Sorry! So sorry for waking you sir! But I've got a message from one of the scientists and they said it's top red priority and I'm so sorry-"

"Stop apologising newbie," Guren sighed, waving his hand. "Well, go on. Let's hear it."

"Yes, sir! The message is as follows- 'At 03 00 pm one of the staff were sent to deliver clean clothes to your charge and found him missing. Assistance required.' End of message, sir."

Guren's eyes narrowed and he stood up. "You can go back or whatever. I'll take care of this myself."

Less than fifteen minutes later, Guren was stepping outside into the world outside the walls. He nodded at the guards at the entrance who wisely pretended to look down at their clipboards. The business of the higher ups in the army were business of their own, as the mantra went.

Guren's breath came out in steady puffs of white as he stalked his way through collapsed buildings and stray rubble. His gait was powerfully even as he scanned the landscape in apparent boredom.

He soon found what he was looking for. A loud crash filled the air as a wild horseman struck its distorted limb at a wall, sending it crashing down in ruins. Below its huge bulk Yuu was scampering away with bruised knees and hands.

For the next few minutes, Guren leaned against a crooked lamppost and watched the one sided assault with hooded eyes. Eventually a flying shower of bricks made Yuu run towards him, making their eyes lock together.

"You-!" Yuu began, then stopped as he rolled away from another jabbing leg. "What are you _doing here_?"

"Getting myself a tan, enjoying the show, take your pick."

"The hell- don't just stand there!"

"Oh?" Guren said neutrally. "I thought you didn't want any help. I thought you just wanted to drag your feet around and let me wipe your ass whenever you need it."

"Shut up! You bastard!"

"What's this? Are you getting angry?"

Yuu clenched his teeth, heaving and panting, but then stopped in his tracks as Guren unsheathed his sword

"Because I'm getting angry too, you know," Guren carried on, turning his blade in his palms so it caught the rays of the winter sunlight. "This isn't some nursery for orphan brats. If you're not going to be useful to me…"

Then Guren pointed his sword straight at Yuu with a harsh coldness in his eyes that put the icy snow to shame.

"…I might as well kill you here and now."

"Wait a minute, hold up-"

Yuu yelped and ducked as Guren took a lazy swing above his head. A few locks of fine hair fluttered onto his nose and he paled.

"Ah, that was a good warm up swing. Are you ready to die?"

"You're crazy!" Yuu shouted and then swore as Guren began to stalk towards him like a giant tiger. He turned and ran as fast as he could, only to skid of the way of the horseman as it took another lunge at him. Shit, he'd forgotten about the monster. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuu spotted something lying next to the horseman's armoured leg.

He clenched his fists and before he could change his mind, dashed right towards the monster. With a battle cry, Yuu snatched the brick off the concrete ground and chucked it with all his might at the creature towering over him.

It bounced off like a soft rubber duck.

Yuu wanted to scream.

The monster was the one who let out a curdling screech and Yuu took the chance to run away with his blood running hot in his veins. He darted towards a nearby building, hoping to find a blind spot somewhere behind its walls.

"And just where do you think you're going?," a dark voice growled and Yuu felt a boot kick him unceremoniously from behind. He flailed, fell onto his bottom and stared up Guren above him.

Yuu gulped.

"Well? Are you ready to die?" Guren said again and all at once his condescending tone made Yuu want to punch that stupid look off his stupid face.

"No, I don't want to die! You stupid, annoying, homicidal child killer-"

"So you want to live?" Guren cut in.

"Yes!" Yuu yelled in heated anger. "Who even _asks that_?"

"Even though living hurts?"

Yuu fell quiet and Guren nudged his sword tip onto Yuu's chest, right over his pounding heart. "It hurts, doesn't it?"

The wind breathed between them, ruffling their hair and carrying a fresh cluster of snowflakes in its breeze.

"…Yeah," Yuu whispered, and then sniffled. "It hurts really bad."

"Good," came Guren's simple reply. Yuu looked up in surprise. "If it hurts, you have a reason to live. Use your pain to become stronger until one day, you can protect those important to you."

Yuu blushed and rubbed his eyes, but then opened his mouth as he caught sight of-

"Watch out, behind you!"

But Guren was already facing the horseman with the simple command, "Possess me, Mahiru."

Yuu's jaw dropped as a wave of demonic looking flames erupted from Guren's sword. A shadowy outline of a woman floated behind Guren's shoulders and with a single sweep of his sword, the horseman was instantly obliterated into dust.

With the sun casting a fiery white halo around Guren's black hair, Yuu felt himself captivated by the man before him.

"Teach me," he blurted.

"What?" Guren asked, half turning towards Yuu as the flames died out around him.

"Teach me how to fight," Yuu pressed with a fire in his eyes. "Make me as strong as you so I can take revenge and kill all the vampires!"


	15. Lull

**Chapter 15**

 **Lull**

/lʌl/

 _1\. calm or send to sleep, typically with soothing sounds or movements_

 _2\. make (someone) feel deceptively secure or confident_

 _3\. a temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity:_

* * *

" _What_ did you just say?!"

"I _said_ that Guren was being such a bastard cos I was like 'let me out on patrols already' and he was like 'you're doing the damn training first like everyone else, you spoilt brat'- can you believe it? As if I need to do stupid push ups or whatever to slice off bloodsuckers' heads."

"No no no, before that, what did you just say? About joining the Imperial Army?"

"Yeah, I've joined the army," Yuu said nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just dropped a bomb on Mika.

Mika let out a strangled noise that may or may not have resembled a dying whale. In a flash his hands were grabbing tight at Yuu's shoulders.

"What. Are. You. Doing," Mika ground out as he flung Yuu back and forwards with each word.

"What are _you_ doing?! Dude, get off me!" Yuu exclaimed.

"You _joined_ the Imperial Army?" Mika repeated and then he went alarmingly still, his hands still locked in place. "This isn't how it's supposed to go- no, you can't Yuu! I told you to stay away from them, not join them!"

"And I told you I'm not staying away!" Yuu shot back, batting Mika's hands off his shoulders. "I need to do this. I need to…fight….get stronger…."

Yuu's voice muddled and trailed off as he felt himself being yanked insistently, like someone was tugging a rope from his navel from far away.

"You're waking up," Mika was saying, faintly and echoing. "Yuu, please just do what I say and _listen_ -"

But Mika's voice was being drowned out by another, one that was shaking him roughly and annoyingly persistently saying, "-get up already, you lazy brat."

An icy blanket of cold air assaulted Yuu and he yelped. Jolting up, he shuddered in the empty coldness and caught sight of his entire blanket flying with a thump to the other side of the room.

Guren kicked the blanket with one foot for good measure and raised an eyebrow at Yuu, unrepentantly.

"What the- what was that for?!" Yuu stopped, shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. "Asshole, it's freezing!"

"Because _someone_ slept through their alarm," Guren rolled his eyes. "And watch your fucking language."

"You just swore though," Yuu muttered lowly which Guren pointedly ignored. With a wide yawn, Yuu rubbed the lingering sleep out of his eyes. "You interrupted my dream too, damn it."

"Oi, I don't want to hear about your pubescent wet dreams. I didn't sign up for any parenting shit."

"That's not what I meant! Who the hell would want you as their dad anyway?" Yuu's ears flushed a cherry red and he glared at Guren. The bastard, who at some point had pulled a wooden chair from the living room and had acquired a cup of coffee.

"…Why are you here?" Yuu asked. "Don't you have paperwork and all that crap to do?"

"Oh no," Guren said, taking a insufferably long sip of his steaming hot drink before continuing. "I'm just waiting for you to realise."

"Realise? Realise what?"

"Realise that you're late for your first day of fitness training- I told you to meet me at ten am, remember? Ah well, go run ten laps around the perimeter as punishment, and an extra lap for every minute you take to get outside."

Yuu spun his neck around at breakneck speed at the bedside clock- half ten- then at his rumpled pyjamas and finally at Guren in mute disbelief.

" _You can't be serious_ -"

"Chop chop," Guren said idly. Yuu half fell out of bed and began to rush around with all the calmness and grace of a highly distressed puppy. Guren took another sip at his coffee, crossed his legs comfortably and hid a smirk behind the white china mug rim.

* * *

Yuu's entire body was aching in ways he didn't even know muscles could ache when he fell asleep that night.

"Are you still mad?" was the first thing he asked when the familiar canopy of stars unfolded above him. Yuu walked over to Mika who was sitting pensively, arms wrapped around his knees, and poked him in the cheek. "Hey come on now, don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," Mika said quietly, not reacting to the prodding.

"Liar," Yuu accused and nudged Mika with his shoulder.

"I'm not," Mika repeated and exhaled softly. "I'm worried. About the army using you, about them hurting you."

"Haven't we talked about this before?" Yuu scrunched up his eyebrows a little and stretched his legs next to Mika's. "I told you, I need to get stronger so I can kill all the vampires."

"So you can get revenge?"

"Yeah that's right. See, you _do_ get what I'm saying."

"But what if that's not what I want?" Mika carried on. "What if I just want you to live happily, safe and away from danger? Don't my wishes mean anything to you?"

"Mika…" Yuu turned to smile a sweet, oh so bittersweet smile at Mika. "I can't. Even if you're the one asking, I can't. If I can't avenge you and our family so you can all rest in peace, what reason do I have to live?"

"Don't say that," Mika said a bit helplessly. He pulled Yuu forward and wrapped his arms around him. "Don't cry either, you big baby."

"I'm not crying!" came the muffled protest against Mika's shoulder.

"Sure you're not," Mika quipped but there was no bite in his tone. With his hands rubbing circles on Yuu's back, he rested his chin on Yuu's shoulder and sighed. "Why won't you just do what I say? You used to be so much easier to persuade... One on one fight, loser has to agree with the winner?"

"I'm not fighting with you about this," Yuu said seriously, staunch with uncharacteristically calm conviction. "You can beat me in a hundred fights and I won't change my mind."

"Ah, geez," Mika sighed again and buried his face deeper into Yuu's shoulder. "We've grown up, haven't we? Both of us."

* * *

"Mika, there you are!"

Waving his hand, Yuu jogged over in his dream to where Mika was standing. "Geez, where have you been? You haven't visited my dreams at all for a while now."

"Oh, there you are Yuu," Mika said somewhat absently. "I think from what I've worked out, we both have to be thinking of each other before we fall asleep for us to meet."

Yuu found himself remembering the past week with all the insanely long laps at insanely early hours, the staggering amount of push ups and weights training and practically being Guren's lap dog with him dashing from one building to another to deliver paperwork or "go fetch me some coffee in two minutes or you'll get five, actually no, _ten_ more laps", as if that was even _humanely possible_.

Point being, Yuu had fallen asleep practically every night as soon as his head hit the pillow, too tired think of anything other than how much he'd like to dump Guren's boiling coffee all over his lap and precious paperwork.

"Sorry," Yuu groaned. "I was too exhausted from all this training from hell. What's up though? You look distracted."

In lieu of explaining, Mika simply gestured to Yuu and commanded, "Come closer, over here. No, face me like this."

Yuu obliged. "Yeah?"

"Do you remember the cherry blossom trees in Hiruma park?" Mika said seemingly off topic. "Actually you were only at the orphanage for a few days, you probably didn't-"

"No, I've seen them," Yuu corrected. He felt his heart constrict in that squeezing ache that always came when he though of the past. "The director took me and the younger kids to the park when you were at school once."

"Those trees were beautiful weren't they? They would have been in full bloom when you visited the park."

"Yeah," Yuu smiled a bit. "They were really nice."

Mika closed his eyes for a good few seconds with an expression of intense concentration before they flew open almost triumphantly. "Yuu, turn around."

Yuu turned around and gasped.

Just moments before the dream had consisted of only Yuu, Mika and the night sky above their heads. Now the wide-open expanse of emptiness was full of rows of blossoming cherry blossom trees, exactly like the ones Yuu remembered. The graceful brown branches were overladen with petals that danced in the air and glowed a silver-pink sheen under the radiant stars.

"Wow," Yuu breathed. Mika walked up to his side with a proud smile, the first time Yuu had seen him beam with such pure joy in all of their dream meetings. Yuu looked at him in awe. "This is amazing Mika! Did you do this?"

"That's right," Mika nodded. "Turns out I can still wander around this dreamscape when you're not here as long as I still thought of you before sleeping, and I ended up finding this out. If you think hard enough about something, you can make it appear."

"Wow," Yuu said again, but this time with a roguish grin spreading across his face. "Just think off all the things you could do…"

Yuu let his eyes shut. A few moments passed. A frown spread across Yuu's lips and just as beads of perspiration began to roll down his forehead, a green stem shot up enthusiastically from the ground. Within seconds it was growing higher, round leaves and petals stretching out until a single flower had sprung to life.

"That's not what I was imagining," Yuu said slowly to break the silence. Mika patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured Yuu, leaning forward to peer at the flower. "That's interesting…yours is a daisy."

"What's interesting?"

"Well, the first time I tried to make something appear on purpose I had a flower grow instead too," Mika explained as he stroked the white petals beneath his fingers.

Yuu crouched down to join Mika's inspection of the flower he had just created from thin air. The flower head seemed to bob cheerfully in its creator's presence. "What was yours then?"

With a wave of his hand, a more delicate looking flower twisted up and almost coyly unfurled its six blood red petals.

"A clematis," Mika answered the question Yuu had just opened his mouth to ask. He let his hand hover above it and thin stems began to reach up and curl around his palm as if they were trying to climb onto him. Mika pulled his hand back and said, "The second try usually works normally. Why don't you give it a go, hm?"

"Don't you 'hm?' me," Yuu stood up straight. "I'm definitely gonna get it right this time!

"Sure, sure," Mika stepped back as Yuu flung his arm out and stretched his fingers wide. He squeezed his eyes shut, body almost vibrating with concentration and yelled, "I want a tree!"

He whooped as a trunk began to grow, but fell quiet again as it only reached his knees before tragically withering and dying away. He could hear a stifled snicker.

"S-shut up!" he floundered.

"Ahahaha!" Mika broke out into laughter and Yuu looked away with hot cheeks, kicking the pathetic looking stump for good measure.

"Ah," Mika gasped, wiping a tear away from his eye as he calmed down. "I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Don't worry about it Yuu, you just need to practice."

And with another lazy wave of his hand, Mika pulled Yuu down to sit. Before they even touched the ground, a plush velvet rug was beneath them along with two plump cushions and a silver tray of sandwiches. Mika's smile was practically bordering on smirking territory.

"Show off," Yuu grumbled, torn between another wave of awe or sheer irritation. Mika simply shrugged one shoulder and fell back on his cushion with a faint oomph.

"Like I said, practice."

Once again they were gazing at the stars above them, glistening bright in their iridescence. Yuu found himself wondering aloud, "How come these dreams always have the exact same setting? Like the same sky and stars and all that stuff."

Mika let out a hum. "You know, the sky is the only thing I can't change. Like I can make all sorts of things appear but the sky always stays the same no matter how hard I concentrate."

"How weird."

"But," Mika continued in a murmur. "I've heard- I think it's to do with us being soulmates. Apparently this sky is supposed to represent the soul bond between us."

"Oh, so that's why," Yuu said, half to himself.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Come on," Mika blocked the view as stood and leaned over Yuu, with a fresh smile beginning to bloom on his lips. He offered his hand like it was a flower of its own. "I'll help you practise how to grow some cherry blossom trees."

* * *

 **Author's notes:**

Daisy flower meanings: innocence, purity, loyal love, simplicity  
Clematis flower meanings: ingenuity, artifice, mental beauty

NOTICE: I've changed my username from Camiella to florienna so fear not! This is still the same writer. I've also changed my tumblr url to the same username (where I post whenever there's an update in case anyone is interested).

Don't forget to review if you enjoy this fic :)


	16. Special: Halloween

**Song playlist:** I...can't think of a song. Recommendations are welcome!

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Special**

 **Halloween**

 _/haləʊˈiːn/_

 _1\. the night of 31 October, the eve of All Saints' Day, often celebrated by children dressing up in frightening masks and costumes. Halloween is thought to be associated with the Celtic festival Samhain, when ghosts and spirits were believed to be abroad._

* * *

It was sitting on his mirror table.

A white box, unassuming if it weren't for gaudy red ribbon tied in an extravagant bow on the top. It hadn't been there when Mika went to bed last night and yet here it was now when he had awoken. Krul had been firm when saying Mika's private quarters were exactly that- private- and Mika had gleaned by now that Krul was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them.

So who exactly had snuck into his room when he was asleep (and dangerously vulnerable) only to leave this…gift?

Mika was many things, and incurably curious was still one of them.

He let his bare feet sink into the thick carpet as he walked over from the bed like a mouse approaching at a slab of unattended cheese. His too pale fingers skimmed over the surface of the box, held it, shook it. Something seemed to thud inside.

It didn't _seem_ to be dangerous. And if it was, Mika didn't doubt for a second he couldn't handle it.

With a firm tug at one ribbon end, the silk fabric unravelled and the box fell apart from all four sides like a flower petals falling loose of its bud. The first thing Mika saw was the gold embellished note, written in looping elegant handwriting in dark violet ink.

 _My darling Mika,_

 _I hear you have joined our very own army- what a delightful development! You do know I am one of their top generals? It will be easy for me to pull some strings and for us to spend some fun time together, just like before. Why don't you consider it, my cute little vampire?_

 _For now here's a little gift for my favourite pet. If you want to come trick or treating, come find me and I can give you some delicious sweets I promise you'll enjoy._

 _Happy Halloween,_

 _Ferid Bathroy._

 _P.S. You look absolutely adorable when you're asleep, Mika_

By the time he had finished reading it, Mika's elongated teeth were flashing in a snarl. He crumpled the note in his hand and once he caught sight of what lay beneath in the box, he wanted to set it on fire.

Actually, that was _exactly_ what he was going to do.

With long quick strides, Mika was at the other end of his bedroom in a flash. First to go into the fireplace was the note, a dark satisfaction welling up in Mika as it set ablaze and crumbled to ashes in sheer seconds. Next was the box, which Mika threw in, contents and all, and waited for it to burn.

Everything happened in the span of a few seconds.

As soon as the cat ear headband touched the lapping flames, it began to hiss menacingly and the fire leaped up to a towering height. Mika hurriedly shielded his face against the suddenly flaming hot heat and stepped back a few steps. Then as quick as it had started, the almost cackling fire whooshed out.

Mika uncovered his eyes. The fire was dead, a blackened mess of charred logs with red-hot embers still lining the wood bark. Everything was quiet- too quiet.

Without knowing why, Mika pawed his knuckles soothingly against his hair and then froze deadly still.

* * *

"Is that someone's kid?"

"How come he's running laps like a trainee?"

Yuu gritted his teeth against the running commentary as he jogged around the outskirts of the building parameter. It wasn't the first time solders milling around had gossiped about him in plain sight, most of them not even bothering to pretend to whisper, and he was quickly realising it wouldn't be the last time either. It was as if they didn't have anything better to do, like _killing off bloodsuckers_ and _protecting humanity_.

Guren had only laughed when he had complained and that had shut him up pretty quick. He wouldn't be treated like a kid dammit!

"Isn't it kind of cute though, seeing a little kid playing around? Maybe he's trying to copy his dad in the army or something."

He couldn't punch them in the face, Yuu repeated to himself in a mantra. The last he had done that Guren had threatened to spank him which had led to Shinya walking in the middle of a highly awkward argument.

So he ducked his head and tried to focus on the concrete slapping against his trainers, hard and jolting. But with each step he could swear that the sound of voices were only increasing, mixed in with…laughter?

Why were people laughing at him?

Screw Guren and his orders.

With a huff Yuu skidded around, ready to give these lazy fuckers a piece of his mind when he was greeted with a distinct _meow_.

There was a cat sitting on its haunches, its fur as black as midnight and its tail swaying on the floor like a brush. It blinked at Yuu. Yuu blinked back.

"What are you doing here?" he muttered, before realising he was actually talking to a cat and shook his head. "Whatever, go shoo."

With a spur of his heels, Yuu was running forwards again with the cold air chafing past his skin and his heart thrumming rhythmically in his chest. He would never admit it to Guren but at this point…it felt good. Pushing himself like this physically made him feel like he was actually doing something useful.

But as the wind picked up against his moving body, so did the laughter again. Yuu looked over his shoulder and suddenly everything clicked into place.

The black cat was running behind him with its tiny paws trotting along the ground.

"You!" Yuu growled, the cold not the only reason for the crimson in his cheeks. "Stop it! Leave me alone!"

He pushed himself faster, ignoring the straining of his muscles like an elastic band being stretched. As he picked up speed, Yuu spared another glance over his shoulder.

The cat was meeting his pace effortlessly, its body rippling like flowing water as it bound forward in fluid leaps. Its bright eyes met Yuu's again and he swore under his breath before running even faster.

* * *

"I'm done," Yuu groaned as he kicked open Guren's office door and collapsed onto the sofa.

"Don't kick open my door," Guren replied absent mindedly, not looking up from his papers with his boots propped on his desk. "Are you lying to me? You usually take double the amount of time."

"Fuck off! I ran all fifteen laps, you bastard."

"Maybe I need to start adding more then," Guren said thoughtfully and then glanced at Yuu as he let out a noise of long suffering and torture. He paused. "What the hell is that thing doing here?"

"It won't leave me alone!" Yuu groaned even louder before letting his head fall back against the sofa. The cat on his shoulder let a yowl of displeasure and tumbled in a ball of fur into his lap. Yuu half-heartedly tried to push it off but it sunk its claws into his trousers and refused to let go.

Guren began to snicker.

"Oh no." Yuu tried to jump up but fell back as the weight on his body didn't budge at all. He settled for his fiercest scowl. "Don't you start too-"

But it was too late. Guren began to laugh, loud and shameless, and actually started banging his desk with his fist. Yuu crossed his arms with a glower and hissed, " _Stop laughing_!"

"Oh man, ahaha, this is too precious, I've got to take a photo," Guren managed to squeeze between his laughs.

"Don't you dare!" Yuu yelled. As if it sensed his raging emotions, the cat touched one of its small paws against Yuu's cheek and a rough tongue like sandpaper licked his face.

 _Click!_

Wide eyed, Yuu flung his gaze back at Guren who had the biggest shit eating grin and a camera posed in his hands.

"You fucker!" With a wild cry, Yuu finally managed to break free of his cat's hold and flung himself at Guren. "Delete that right now, you absolute monster-"

"No way!" Guren snickered, dangling the camera out of Yuu's reach. "This is going in our family album photos, cat boy."

"Don't call me that! I'm gonna kill you, you bastard-"

Ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door before it pushed open. "Guren, I'm coming in-"

Shinya halted as a glowering Yuu pushed past him. His teary eyes widened a little as he glanced up at Shinya with highly flushed cheeks before he ducked his head again. A tiny black cat padded after him, darting up to Yuu's legs and leaping onto his shoulder with one powerful jump.

Titling his head, Shinya turned back to the door and raised an eyebrow at the overturned chairs and the mess of papers on the floor. Guren was still chortling slightly as he took a grey camera out of his pocket.

"Isn't that the camera Goshi's been turning his quarters upside down looking for?" Shinya asked, resting his chin on Guren's shoulder from behind. He looked at the photos Guren was flicking through and smiled. "Spending quality time with your small son, are you?"

Guren shrugged Shinya's head off. "What belongs to my soldiers, belongs to me."

"Of course it does," Shinya laughed. "Well be careful not to tease Yuu too much or he'll end up hating you, hm? But he's going to end up hating you eventually, isn't that right?"

"That pretty face of yours really does hide a sharp tongue," Guren said instead and pocketed the camera into his jacket. "Fine, I'll go see him later. Happy?"

"Oh, you know I'm always happy," Shinya smiled and turned one of the chairs upright. "But I'm actually here to deliver some messages from Kureto since he's oh so busy, starting with your 'disgraceful and appalling conduct in the last meeting."

Shinya patted Guren's shoulder lightly and this time it was Guren's turn to groan.

* * *

"Stupid Guren," Yuu grumbled under his breath. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. I've gotta steal that camera back from his office the next time he has one of those long meetings…"

Laying on his bed, Yuu rubbed at his eyes and wondered if his sight was going funny. He could have sworn he had seen something weird earlier, but he must have just been tired. Right?

The cat on his chest lifted its head and let out a deep, rumbling purr.

 _So you've realised._

Yuu jumped in surprise and bolted up right. "Who's there?!"

His jaw dropped as the cat began to float up in the air and glow a golden light. Its jade green eyes began to shine unnaturally brighter and its fur morphed from midnight black to a gold that put the sun to shame.

It unfurled its tail and dipped its head at Yuu. In a echoing genderless voice it spoke. _Greetings, O Beholder Yuichirou. It is an honour to meet Your Majesty and Grace._

The golden light lit up Yuu's entire room and felt like melting honey mixed with cinnamon spice and metal. It felt overwhelmingly powerful. Yuu straightened his back and bluntly asked, "What are you? What are you doing in my room?"

 _Just as firm and bold as your counterpart, I see. I am merely a passing spirit, given passage to this realm in the power of All Hallows Day and drawn to your presence. I wished to gift you, My Lord._

"Gift me? With what?"

 _Tell me, what did you see today that was 'unsual'?_

Yuu fell silent before saying hesitantly, "Okay I know this sounds really weird, but when I went into Guren's office I thought…there was something behind him, like something faint in the corner of my eye. And then I saw it with Shinya too."

 _What did you see?_

"Guren had a black panther sleeping next to his desk, and Shinya had a white tiger following him."

 _Now look in the mirror._

Yuu frowned and turned to the rectangular mirror hanging next to his cupboard. He almost fell down at the reflection of his own self staring back at him with a young lion prowling next to his feet. It rubbed against his legs and puffed its half grown mane proudly.

 _Today you have seen the spirit animals that dwells in humans' hearts, and your own. It represents their will, their personality and their life force. Use this knowledge as you wish, My Lord._

With a low purr, the cat bowed low to Yuu and began to fade away in its golden light.

 _The path you lead is a twisted one. Be wary of your kind, and be victorious. Our devotion is to you, O Beholder._

And as the golden light ebbed away Yuu was lulled into a compelling sleep. The door to his room creaked open and Guren stepped through. He stood over Yuu's sleeping figure, a dark shadow poised over a vulnerable undefended boy, before reaching forward and ruffling Yuu's hair.

Yuu's face scrunched up in unconscious annoyance and Guren smiled a little. He emptied his pockets of the candy sweets he had bought, placing them in a colourful pile on Yuu's bedside table with a messily scrawled note before leaving.

 _Happy Halloween, kid._

 _-Guren_

* * *

"Mika- what- whaaat?!" Yuu stuttered.

Mika's white cheeks took on a rare pale pink blush. On his head were two large and very alive cat ears, the exact same shade as his blonde hair. As soon as Yuu had appeared they had perked up with a twitch and he couldn't get them to lie flat ever since.

He covered his face with one hand and lamented, "I _hate_ Halloween."

* * *

 **Author's notes:** THIS WAS WRITTEN IN HALF A DAY AND IT'S A DAY LATE so sorry if it's rushed quality but I really wanted to write a special chapter for Halloween! It's a bit crackish but it's a bonus chapter and I think we all need some fluff at this point.

Also I've decided to change the rating of this fic from M to T because although I think it's a little mature especially with certain future chapters, I've thought about it for a while and decided it's nothing older teens can't handle. Feedback/opinions on this are welcome.


	17. Divergence

**Chapter 17**

 **Divergence**

 _/dʌɪˈvəːdʒ(ə)ns/_

 _1\. the process of state of diverging (to split out and move in different directions from a single point; to be or become different)_

* * *

In the emptiness all was dark. It was there yet it was not, non-existent yet present. The dreamscape of the legendary Beholders awaited obediently for its masters to arrive.

And sure enough a faint outline of a golden thread began to thrum into existence, faint at first but then boldening into life. At one end of the thread a cascade of a thousand stars fell from above; on the other end, a swirl of fluid blackness rose up from the ground. As each end formed into a human body, the two pairs of eyes met at the same and they smiled.

"We both arrived at the same time!" Yuu laughed and wasted no time capturing Mika's hand within his own. "Hey Mika."

"Hey yourself," Mika said with a sliver of his own smile. His eyes flickered down to Yuu's hand for a brief moment before he asked, "Should I, or…?"

"No way, it's my turn this time," Yuu insisted and then shut his eyes. He breathed in once, his face smooth and even, before exhaling and spreading his arm in a calmly confident sweeping gesture. Even as his eyes were opening Yuu could already feel a salty breeze gently caressing his face. Tugging at Mika's hand, Yuu led him across the creamy white sand to two deck chairs that faced an endless expanse of silver-indigo waters.

"The ocean," Mika murmured, standing still in quiet enrapturment.

"I've always wanted to see the ocean," Yuu explained softly. They sat down in unison, two figures silhouetted in the silence of the night. Yuu watched the tide ebb and flow, catching on pearl hued shells that shone under the stars. "You've never seen it either, right?"

"I haven't ever had the chance. So you can create things here if you haven't seem them, as long as you can imagine it," Mika deduced and Yuu nodded. There was a lull in the conversation in which Yuu began to fidget.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Admit it, my dreamscaping skills are awesome."

"They're okay," Mika said nonchalantly and then chuckled at Yuu's indignant sound. "Fine fine, they're awesome you huge show off. Remember how bad they used to be though?"

"Aaah," Yuu cut in loudly, putting his fingers in his ears. "I can't hear you, nope, not at all."

"Geez, grow up!" Mika jabbed Yuu in the stomach, unrepentant at Yuu doubling over with a yelp. "You're too childish sometimes, honestly."

"And you're too serious, lighten up!" Yuu began to pull at Mika's cheeks, forcing them upwards. "Come on Mikaaa, smile! You used to be so annoyingly smiley, come on, come on!"

Instead of retaliating, Mika reached out to grasp a lock of Yuu's hair. Yuu dropped his hands red hot fast and accused, "What are you doing!?"

"It's gotten longer," Mika mused. "Your face is changing too."

"Yeah, well, it's been like four years, that's what happens when you get older. Your hair is getting way longer too…Come on, can you let go now?"

"Wait a minute. I thought I noticed something earlier…"

"What? What is it?"

"What's wrong with your end of the soul bond?" They both looked down to the ever-present floating golden thread between them, shining bright albeit slightly subdued near Mika. Yet as it travelled to Yuu left hand, it gradually darkened like black ink diffusing into pure water. As Yuu lifted his hand closer, he could see small specks of black rust beginning to form where the thread met flesh.

Mika took Yuu's hand without a word and bought it closer, inspecting it at every possible angle. When their gazes met again, Yuu could see the worry glimmering in Mika's blue eyes like a dam of wild waters.

Yuu drew back his hand and said slightly uneasily, "I don't know."

* * *

It was a strange world where Yuu could talk to the ghost of Mika in his dreams about everything that happened in his life. About being sent to school, about the escaped vampire attack, about meeting new classmates who had barged into his life and didn't seem inclined to barge out anytime soon.

A few dream meetings ago Mika had put his hands on Yuu's shoulders, looked him in the eye and said that Yuu was always talking about these new comrades but what did Yuu _really_ think of them?

Yuu had fallen silent but in his own dream, with just him and Mika and no one else, he had slowly began to say what he would have never told anyone else. That Shinoa was weird but not that bad actually _(because she had been the first person his age to talk to him),_ and he worried over Yoichi being too weak for the army and getting himself killed, and that he secretly found Kimizuki's will to protect his sister admirable and he hated it because he was also a total jerk and they got along like oil and water.

Afterwards Mika had been pensively quiet for a while before saying, "You're scared of calling them your friends, because you feel like you'll be betraying our dead family."

Yuu didn't say anything.

"But Yuu," Mika had carried on. "Maybe…it would be an advantage to have some allies in that place for when things go bad."

Jaw dropping, Yuu had exclaimed, "Seriously?! You've been hating on everyone in the army ever since we first met here and now you're telling me to make friends with them?"

Mika had crossed his arms and said, " _Allies_ , Yuu. And I still don't trust them, don't get me wrong. But from what you've been telling me for all these weeks, they seem just as stupidly manipulated as you by the army-"

"-hey!-"

"-so tactically speaking, you could band together and they can protect you until I can- well, you'll see. You have my permission, Yuu."

"Who the hell needs your permission?" Yuu had quipped but he couldn't help feeling lighter, like an unknown weight had been lifted from his chest.

The memory of the conversation bought a small smile to Yuu's face as he walked with his hands in his pockets. Guren walked in front of the small group as he led them to wherever the try-out was for the Black Demon weapon series. He ignored the sudden light in Shinoa's eyes as she caught his smile and moved closer to him.

"So Yuu, you're a bit different from what I expected when I heard there was an unruly rule breaking delinquent that needed supervising. Actually you are pretty much an unruly rule breaking delinquent," Shinoa laughed lightly.

"What's your point?" Yuu said uninterestedly, not rising to the bait.

"You're a bit less moody than I expected. Could it be…" she trailed off dramatically and Yuu already had a bad feeling from the coy grin on her face. "…you have a _secret lover_ to put that smile on your face? Oh ho, not such a cherry boy after all are you?"

Yuu choked on thin air and then tried not to laugh because the only secret person he had been meeting was Mika's ghost and the thought of Mika in a pink frilly dress was too precious. He turned his head away and snorted, "No way."

"Is that a besotted smile I see?"

"I _said_ no way, I'm not dating anyone."

"Quiet down with the chatter!" Guren snapped with his back still turned and they both jumped a little, unaware that he had been listening. "Yuu, you're not allowed to have sex without my permission, got it? Actually just don't date anyone at all with your teenage hormones. You better just dump whoever you're seeing right now."

"What the hell Guren?!" Yuu spluttered, not seeing Shinoa, Yoichi and Kimizuki share a look, but Guren was already striding ahead to press a button. Two metal doors slid open with a creaking groan, showing the inside of a bare battered looking lift. Guren walked inside first and ordered, "Get in brats, and prepare yourself for the weapon ceremony."

They entered a massive chamber, grotesque stone faces lining the walls with their eyes pinned on the newcomers. As Guren answered his questions and explained where they were, Yuu found his fists clenching as if they could contain his rising excitement. His back was straight and confident as he walked up to the weapon in front of him and drew it unhesitatingly.

This was finally his chance to act out his revenge, to get the power to kill all the vampires on the face of the earth. This was for his family.

This was for Mika.

The runic circle began to glow an eerie green beneath his feet and he crumpled to the floor. Even as Yoichi and Kimizuki fell down in their own lit up circles, Guren's eyes remained fixed on Yuu's unconscious figure.

* * *

Mika was standing on the beach waiting for him. He turned to Yuu and smiled. "You're back quick, Yuu. Are you taking a nap in the daytime?"

"What?" Yuu mumbled, rubbing his head. "Mika? What are you doing here?"

"Are you feeling alright, Yuu?" Mika frowned and laid his hand across his head. "You don't feel warm…well, I don't know how well this works in dreams."

"So I'm dreaming right now?"

"Are you _sure_ you're feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, I guess," Yuu said, brows lowering as he tried to remember something just out of his grasp, like trying to catch dancing dust when the sun shines through a window. His thoughts were interrupted as Mika took his hand and began to lead him forwards.

"What are you doing?" Yuu asked.

"It's nice weather for going into the water, isn't it?" Mika replied and walked a few steps into the shore with Yuu. The water felt cool and pleasant against his bare feet, washing back and forth gently. Yuu wiggled his toes a little and revelled in the feeling of the current massaging his legs.

He startled as a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders from behind. "Mika…?"

"Actually Yuu…there's something I wanted to tell you," Mika began hesitantly. "I didn't want to tell you and I've been keeping it quiet for so long, but it's too difficult watching you not know."

He lowered his lips to Yuu's ear and whispered sadly, "I don't exist. I'm just a figment of your imagination."

Yuu felt his heart stutter as if it were about to stop altogether. He could barely croak out, "What?"

"You know ghosts don't really exist. Your mind has become so messed up after all you've been through and you made me up to try and cope with it all."

"No," Yuu shook his head, breaking free of Mika's hold. "No, it's not true!"

He spun around to face Mika but all the fire died out in his chest at the unbearably pitying look on Mika's face. "Don't look at me like that…don't look at me with that face. Why are you lying to me? This isn't a funny joke."

His voice broke off at the last word and Mika's silence was the final confirmation for all his fears. With a choked cry, he covered his face with his hands and began to shake, even as Mika drew him in with a hug.

"I'm so sorry Yuu…I'm so sorry," Mika was saying but everything felt vague and fuzzy like it was happening from far away. He felt Mika guiding his body further into the ocean until the water was lapping up at his neck. Yuu's body felt like lead, heavy and numb.

Mika rested his forehead against Yuu's and murmured, "Maybe this is for the best. Maybe you can still see me for real, be together with me."

"How do I do that?"

"You know what you have to do." Mika pressed himself against Yuu in one more hug, a stream of reassuring whispers flowing into his ear as he lowered Yuu into the ocean like a body being laid to rest in a coffin. His hands were pushing Yuu down and it would be so easy to let the water engulf him, to close his eyes and see Mika for real where the dead went to peacefully rest…

Glazed behind the watery depths, Yuu could see the sun shining in the crystal blue sky above him like a beacon light from heaven above.

Pockets of air bubbled from his mouth as he suddenly began to thrash wildly. He struggled against Mika's iron strong grip, muffled screams trapped behind his lips until his vision was swimming and blacking out at the edges, with a ringing noise pounding at his ears.

His hand groped wildly in the thick as mud water until out of nowhere, he found something long and hard in his hand. He grasped it tight and with all his remaining might thrust it up to the surface. It broke free and just barely missed Mika's shoulder, yet the hands pushing down at Yuu pulled back in the blink of an eye.

Yuu broke to the surface of the ocean with a gasp and for a few moments it took all he had just to catch his breath in wild pants.

His hand was still clenching at the object. He looked down and his eyes widened at the sword he was holding. It was pitch black and the most intricate ornament Yuu had ever seen, with swirls and engravings and gemstones that shone a dazzling bright like stars. Yet there was no doubt this was a weapon made to kill with the fine blade edge that looked like it could effortlessly slice through a mountain.

But even as he noticed the sword a black rust was beginning to coat over the metal, dulling the star gems until the blade itself was crumbling and Yuu was left with handfuls of scattering dust. He looked at his hand a bit helplessly before looking back at Mika.

No, not Mika. The figure before him was morphing before his very eyes, blonde curls snapping into wild long purple locks and blue eyes darkening into a red until it was a complete stranger who was in front of him.

Those demonic eyes were flared wide with horror as the intruder backed away from Yuu as if he were the devil himself. The beach around them was falling apart to pieces like a broken charade until they were both standing under a stretch of cloudy skies.

"That sword…" the intruder said in shock. They dropped at Yuu's feet and lowered their neck like a criminal at the executioner's block. "O I beg for your forgiveness for my actions, please have mercy!"

"Woah woah," Yuu took a few steps. "First of all, who are you? Why did you try to wear Mika's face and drown me?"

"I am the demon Asuramaru. Your Grace drew the weapon I possessed and I trialled you, unknowing of your identity."

"And pretending to be Mika?"

"Please forgive my transgression," Asuramaru begged, his head still bent low. "I can see into the hearts of those who wish to use me, and attack their worst fears and weaknesses."

Yuu clamped his mouth shut and wrapped one arm around himself. That had been his worst fear…it had always been there, he realised. He just hadn't wanted to think about it before, hadn't wanted to admit it to himself.

"Are you going to kill me?" Asuramaru interrupted his unwilling thoughts. He was trembling violently, not even able to look at Yuu.

"I passed the trial right?" Yuu asked instead.

"That is correct."

"Then make me your user. Give me your power so I can get my revenge!"

Asuramaru's head snapped up at Yuu's words, surprise written all over his face. He said hesitantly, "Is your power not more than sufficient for you, My Lord?"

"Why are you calling me that? And how am I supposed to get stronger without a demon weapon?" Yuu answered with no small amount of confusion.

"You do not know," Asuramaru said slowly and Yuu's confusion heighted like a growing mountain.

"What are you on about? Look, just give me your power and make a contract with me!" Yuu offered his hand demandingly and Asuramaru took it immediately, as if he could not even dare of disobeying.

As soon as their hands met there was a blinding black shadow that fell over everything like a curtain of darkness. An agonised scream ripped through the air and the next second Asuramaru was on his knees with the outlines of his body bleeding out demonic shadows. His face was twisted into a contortion of pain.

"What just happened- are you alright?!" Yuu gasped, reaching out to Asuramaru who flinched away from his touch.

"No!" Asuramaru yelled and then looked like he wanted to kick himself. "I'm sorry, please forgive my insolent tone-"

"What happened?" Yuu urged again although he drew his hand back.

"There…there is…you are not fully human. And….that inhuman part would not be happy with sharing a host."

Yuu's lips felt dry and cracked despite his recent near drowining as he forced himself to ask, "What are you saying?"

"I cannot possess you, My Lord."

* * *

"He's waking up!"

"Get your weapons ready."

"What are you saying, sir?!"

"You saw the black cloud from the weapon go into Yuu. You already know what happens to those who are possessed."

He was lying down on the stone cold floor. Yuu's eyes opened to the intent gazes of four other people. Well, three actually as Yoichi was draped unconscious over Kimizuki's back.

Shinoa almost seemed to unstiffen and smiled. "Well, will you look at that. He's not possessed after all."

She saw Yuu looking at Yoichi and explained, "Oh, Yoichi here got possessed by his demon but Kimizuki snapped him out of it by giving him a hug. It was a _truly_ moving moment."

Kimizuki concentrated on shifting Yoichi on his back with his ears tipped red. Guren's face remained impassive as he demanded, "What happened?"

Yuu saw the blade lying next to him, the sheath somehow shut tight again before he looked down at his hands, almost as if he could not believe what was happening.

"I…failed."

* * *

 **Author's notes:** FINALLY reached the canon plot! I think we're halfway through the fic by now but either way things are gonna speed up from here on so get ready for the wild ride

Please kindly leave a review


	18. Alternative

Song playlist: Wings by Birdy

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

 **Alternative**

 _/ɒl ˈtɜ ː.nə.tɪv/_

 _1\. being one of two mutually exclusive choices or courses of action_

 _2\. a substitute or other_

 _3\. existing outside traditional or established institutions or systems_

* * *

The winter sunlight was reflecting off Ferid's hair, sharpening the surface strands from grey to wicked silver. In comparison Guren's hair was hidden carefully beneath a black hood that obscured his eyes.

Ferid was leaning against a broken safety rail with a file of papers being turned through with his fingernails.

"-so he failed, did he? My, that isn't really a surprise at all considering-"

Guren's shoulders felt wearily heavy. His fingers were rubbing against the starched edge of his trouser pockets as Ferid carried on talking.

"-send him to the frontlines as planned anyway, I'm sure you'll think of a way partner. I have a secret surprise that'll give him the shock of his life-"

It was strange how from the roof of this collapsed building, standing in the disaster scene that was the outside world, the sky was still fine and clear. As if to spite Guren's thought, a few storm clouds drifted into his line of sight from the edge of the horizon.

"Oh? Leaving already? What a terrible conversation partner I have to put up with," Ferid's voice followed him down the stairwell like a persistent plague. Guren could hear him call out from the open broken door, "Good work as usual, Mr Lieutenant!"

He very deliberately did not walk any faster.

A crow perched on the netted fence flapped its black wings as Ferid's musical laugh chimed through the air. Startled awake, it screeched in indignation before beating its wings again and taking flight into the pale blue sky.

Its faint shadow flew rapidly over granite and gravel, running parallel to its body from broken up roads to barren plains to the hard concrete of the Imperial Army headquarters.

Its wings began to beat slower and slower until the crow landed on a high windowsill, tucked its tiny head into the crook of its wings and fell asleep.

On the other side of the wall, Yuu's head was sunken into his pillow. His body lay motionless in an unnaturally deep slumber, yet in his dream he couldn't stop twisting and turning the hem of his shirtsleeve between his fingers.

"Stop looking at me like that," Yuu burst out eventually, clenching his hands in fists. "This is why I didn't want to tell you!"

"Yuu…" The unbearably soft tone of Mika's voice was enough to make Yuu start fiddling again. "Your worst fear was _me not being real_?"

"I said I didn't want to tell you," Yuu muttered again and gave his sleeve a hard jerk. The blackness in the sky above dimmed from obsidian to diluted grey. "Look, you're a ghost right? But maybe my mind really is messed up, maybe I really am imagining stuff cos I'm so stupidly fucked up-"

"Stop it!" Mika raised his voice, grabbing Yuu by his shoulders. The stars flared up and gave Mika's eyes a liquidly glimmer. "Don't you ever say that about yourself, Yuu. Don't you _dare_."

Only their quiet breaths interjected the quiet that followed, until Mika bought his arms around Yuu in an embrace.

"I'm real Yuu. No matter how well you know me, your mind could never make up such a complex illusion of me. Didn't that demon's trickery prove that?"

"Yeah," Yuu said and hugged Mika back. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry for doubting you Mika."

Mika pressed his lips against the crown of Yuu's head and murmured, "It's okay. I know things are hard for you right now. That's why I'm going to prove my existence to you, Yuu."

"What?!" Yuu pulled himself back a little to look Mika in the face, taking in his firmly set lips and brows. "Mika, you're a ghost! How are you going to do that? Wait, can ghosts appear outside of dreams?!"

"You'll see," Mika smiled and even now the sight of that quirk of his lips wasn't something Yuu got to see often, like the occasional lingering scent of a half forgotten memory. "There's something you could do…but maybe-"

"What? What is it? I'll do anything, I swear!" Yuu piped up and Mika could practically see the puppy tail wagging behind him.

"That Guren guy said he's still sending you out to fight right? Well, if you're out there I can prove myself easier if you make your way to the frontlines of the battle. But make sure you don't get near any vampires, especially the nobles!"

"Go to the frontlines, huh? That doesn't sound too hard. Sure, I can do that no problem."

"Actually what am I saying, you're going to be in danger, you should try and stay inside the walls away from the fighting and I'll somehow-"

"Mika, slow down," Yuu said with a small frown. "You're gonna give yourself a concussion if you keep thinking that fast."

"Yuu ignore what I said," Mika carried on, ignoring Yuu. "It's too dangerous for you and you could get hurt."

"Are you even listening to me?" Yuu huffed and thumped his head against Mika's. "I'm not a child anymore Mika. I can look after myself. Just leave it to me- I'll get to the frontlines, pinky promise."

"What? Oh, you've got to be kidding me…you just said you're not a kid anymore." He couldn't bring any bite into his words as Mika gave in and entwined his little finger with Yuu's. Yuu flashed a grin at him and tugged their fingers down twice, a relic from their sepia toned childhood.

"This is so childish," Mika said under his breath and then snorted as Yuu poked his tongue out. "I still can't believe that filthy demon had the nerve to lay his hands on you. By the way, you never did explain properly how Guren is going to send you to battle without a demon weapon."

"I did explain it!"

"Yuu, saying 'but I'm totally gonna kick vampire butt anyway cos Guren said he'd let me fight' doesn't explain _anything_."

"My voice doesn't sound like that!" Yuu flushed before coughing loudly and holding on to his crossed legs. "Anyway you just weren't listening properly, so I guess I'll explain it again just for you. So basically, what happened was…"

* * *

Somebody was knocking on the iron door.

"Yuu? Are you here?" Shinoa's voice called through.

"Are you sure this is his room? This isn't anywhere near the living dorms. Why is he in such a remote corridor anyway?" Mitsuba commented from behind Shinoa.

"Lieutenant Guren gave directions to Yuu's room here and there aren't any other doors nearby. Yuu, open up please," Shinoa raised her voice a bit louder and knocked twice again.

"You must have read the directions wrong," Mitsuba crossed her arms.

"My my, you're just too impatient."

"I am _not_ -"

"Guys come on, let's not argue," Yoichi protested, raising his hands placating as he stepped forward. "Maybe he's still asleep?"

"At this hour? Typical," Kimizuki scoffed and then banged hard at the door himself. "Oi, get up and open the door!"

"Kimizuki!"

"I could activate my weapon and smash the door down."

"Mitsuba!" Yoichi turned his head quickly and began to wave his arms. "Wait wait wait, please don't do that!"

A discreet clearing of a throat interrupted the conversation, along with a jingling of metal against metal. Shinoa was slyly smirking as she held up a keychain with a single silver key dangling from the short chain.

"I believe," she stated neutrally. "That this was a good thing to pick up from Lieutenant Guren's office then."

A hand tapped against Shinoa's shoulder and the keychain slipped a few inches down the air. Kimizuki jumped, Yoichi yelped and Mitsuba let out a small scream.

"Woah guys!" Yuu said with high eyebrows. "What's wrong? What are you doing outside my room? Wait a minute…are those Guren's spare keys?"

"…No?" Shinoa smiled sweetly, bringing her hands behind her back.

"Yes they are." Yuu squinted his eyes. "They have his tag on the chain. 'Property of Guren Ichi-'"

"Why don't you invite us in Yuu? We needed to talk with you," Shinoa laughed and everyone obligingly cleared the path to the door.

"Uh, okay." Yuu walked up, turned the doorknob and opened the door wide. "Come inside I guess. Ah, don't tell Guren I left the door open? He always gets mad when I don't lock it…Why is everyone so quiet?"

Yoichi opened his mouth but Kimizuki covered it with his hand and quickly said, "No reason, it's nothing."

"Okay," Yuu said slowly and plopped down on one of the wooden kitchen chairs. He put down a water bottle on the table and rested his hands on his jogging bottoms. Shinoa sat on the opposite chair while Kimizuki and Yoichi took the sofa. Mitsuba stood at the edge of the room for a few seconds until Shinoa laughed again and teased, "There's space on the sofa. You're not going to get germs from sitting next to boys."

"Shut up! I was just stretching my legs." Mitsuba retorted, although she sat down in the spare seat with an edge of delicacy.

Yuu rubbed the back of his neck, his hand moving unconsciously to his shoulder blades, and said, "Sorry it's a bit of a tight fit. I can get more chairs and snacks and stuff next time if you want."

"It's okay," Mitsuba fumbled, looking down at her lap. "This is already quite a big room for a normal soldier."

"Who are you by the way?" Yuu asked and Kimizuki snorted. "What? I haven't seen her before!"

"So you just let a complete stranger into your room?" Kimizuki asked and Yuu rolled his eyes.

"Well that's part of why we're here," Shinoa spoke up. "Yuu, this is our fourth team member Mitsuba Sangu. Mitsuba, this is the Yuchirou Hyakuya I told you about" –an exchange of nods- "and then Guren told us to come here to collect our fifth team member, which must be you. He said you'd explain it all to us."

Yuu sighed and ran one hand through his hair. He muttered, "That lazy ass. Geez, I already had to explain it once to Mika."

The sun had reached its zenith and through the two panel window, it cast a single line of shadow between Yuu and the rest of the people in the room. Now everyone was looking expectantly at Yuu so he began to explain again, "So you guys remember how I failed the demon trial a few days ago right?"

The rest of the people in the room shuffled a little, silent. Mitsuba looked a bit confused but Shinoa nodded before she could speak.

"Well, later that evening Guren comes round my room and I'm all like so what, you're gonna kick me out now or something? Cos there's no way you're getting rid of me, I'm gonna train even harder and get stronger so I don't need any stupid demon weapon anyway. But then he just hands me this sword- wait, let me get it."

As Yuu got up abruptly and disappeared into his bedroom, everyone exchanged bemused looks. He came out just as quickly with a long object in his hands, which he carefully unwrapped to reveal a sheathed sword. Yuu handed it to Shinoa and sat down again.

"So anyway, he gives me this sword and tells me he wants me to try a new programme he's working on. Basically, I get to join the team as a 'technical assistant' and I can fight vampires with this sword. So yeah," Yuu concluded, leaning back in his chair.

"Yuu?" Kimizuki asked after a mutual silence.

"Yeah?"

"You suck at explaining things."

"Hey!" Yuu protested. "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"It's kind of true…" Yoichi said meekly but then suddenly became very interested in the stray threads in the sofa as Yuu looked at him in imploring betrayal.

"Well, your explanation could use some expansion," Shinoa piped in and Mitsuba nodded before she caught herself and stopped with a blush. With slow fingers, Shinoa pushed the sheath loose to reveal barely a centimetre's worth of the blade. It was a strange green, a few shades off from the usual demon blade weapons and smelt faintly of acid and bleach. "I've never heard of a non possessed weapon being able to damage vampires."

"Guren said the scientists had been working on chemically enhanced weapons taken from vampire body parts or something," Yuu shrugged. "I don't know, it's complicated sciency stuff. This is a prototype but it should work fine."

"Don't pass that thing over here," Yoichi said looking a bit green himself and even Kimizuki was eyeing the sword with an aversion. Mitsuba took the sword from Shinoa instead and was looking at it up close as if it were a golden horror movie artefact.

"And being a 'technical assistant'? What does that mean exactly?" Shinoa prompted, keeping her eyes on Yuu.

"Technical stuff…I guess?" Yuu said and then talked quicker as Shinoa raised one eyebrow. "Look, Guren said I'm the test for a new scheme. Basically one person in a team of five is gonna be in charge of stuff like communicating, driving and keeping supplies. It's supposed to help organise the teams better and shit."

"Hmmm," Shinoa said thoughtfully, lightly. "It seems to me like Lieutenant Guren has an awful lot of interesting new schemes lately. Anyway, we have orders to go back to Guren so he can give mission details once you're done explaining, so let's head back everyone."

"So he really was just too lazy to explain it himself," Yuu grumbled and everyone laughed. They got up and as boots were being pulled up and uniform jackets shrugged into, Shinoa caught sight of Yuu hanging back from the crowd. She followed his footsteps to the attached kitchen just in time to see him down two white pills.

"Yuu? Are you sick?" she asked.

"Hm?" was the garbled reply as he was drinking a glass of water. Yuu swallowed and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Oh these are just some muscle strengthening and antibiotics. I used to live with the vampires so my body still needs this supplement stuff."

Even with her usual stotic face, Shinoa's surprise and sorrow broke through and Yuu knew had questions, just like the rest of the team who he knew had overheard from the doorway.

So he smiled sadly and began to share small bits of his story as they walked together towards Guren's office; towards their shared future.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Presenting...the squad!

Please kindly leave a review


	19. Revelations

**Song playlist:** Conquest of Spaces by Woodkid

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

 **Revelations**

 _/rɛvəˈleɪʃ(ə)n/_

 _1\. something revealed, especially a dramatic disclosure of something not previously known or realised_

 _2\. a manifestation of divine will or truth_

* * *

A body-sized cylinder was sliding its metal shell open. One white leg was stepping out, then another, until Mika was standing up as naked as the day he was born.

In the rest of the room the other dozens of capsules were hissing open at the same time, steam rushing out in clouds that half obscured the unclothed vampires that were rising and stretching. The lingering scent of magic was something Mika was long used to; he had felt it intruding his body for the past hour, strengthening his muscles and steeling his bones.

He was used to seeing himself naked- these monsters naked- but he still averted his eyes as he began to walk to the changing rooms.

Like always, a path cleared up for him so subtly that it looked like those vampires really did want to linger by their capsule for a bit longer, like that one really did want to walk over to the side to talk to someone and the other one really did feel like that spot out of Mika's way was just a better place for them to stand.

But the one thing they couldn't hide was the slight miniscule twitch of their noses as Mika passed them, instinctively recognising the scent of their Queen. A single drop was all Krul had needed to infuse into his collar- into the centrepiece red ruby gem that always felt hot against his neck.

Its removal was one of the very few things Krul denied him these days.

So the eyes followed Mika as he slipped on his uniform and entered the training room; some lowered away from his face, some icy cold, some prickly hot. But the ones that made him walk faster were the more rare ones, the stares that were lukewarm but no less intense in their borderline insubordinate curiosity.

As Mika stood straight in the row of soldiers, he could feel the vampire next to him flicker her eyes to him briefly before looking forward attentively. The vampire next to her leaned forward with an uncharacteristically shameless gaze before the first vampire pulled her back into place.

Just in time too, as their instructor glided through the door in a mass of dark cloaks and a low hood that left no inch of their skin exposed. Two hooded figures drifted behind him; it was hard to tell if their feet were touching the floor beneath their trailing robes. The already silent room fell even quieter in pin drop soundlessness as the figure stepped in front of the rows of soldiers, before throwing off their outer garments with one arm. It was a male vampire, with skin fitting training clothes that were as fluid as their movements.

"Elite soldiers!" he called out and the vampires dropped to their knees in perfect unison with their hands clasped against their chests. Mika clenched his jaw as he bent his head. "Her Majesty Supreme has announced to all that the warfare offence will commence in less than a week. You are the elite of this army, trained and prepared beyond the rest to bring our realm glory and victory. Today is the day your years of training will come to an end."

He paused for a few seconds, letting the unspoken anticipation build up

"Today, you will be given your battle swords."

The instructor nodded his head to his two companions who raised their hands and began chanting lowly, black swirls of magic forming over their hands. Like a mirage, the far wall vanished to reveal a huge room stacked full of weaponry.

"Stand and collect your sword," the instructor ordered and one by one each vampire unfolded themselves to walk forward and be handed their sword. In their turn each vampire grasped the golden and black hilt, drew the sword out of its dark maroon sheath and uttered the firm command, "Sword, bite me."

One by one, thorned vines crawled out of the handle, bit the vampire's blood and made the grey blade glow a hungry red.

That's all that was needed- to check that there was nothing defective.

Mika kept his head low as the line emptied until it was his turn to step forward. For the first time in his life he thanked his vampire traits for keeping his heartbeat steady and his palms cool as he wrapped his fingers around the offered blade.

Michael had warned him what might happen, but he refused to lose face in such a public setting by opting out. He didn't care about vampire politics but he did care about doing whatever it took to get on that battlefield.

"Sword, bite me," Mika said the triggering words and sure enough the blood red thorns were shooting out, but he could already hear the beginning of alarmed whispers because there were far too many and they were all sinking their teeth and trying to devour his flesh like his blood was the best meal they'd had in their entire life.

The instructor was rushing forward with the two hooded vampires at his heels.

His hand was trembling violently and Mika let go of the sword but the vines were too tight, wrapping the blade against his wrist, digging in harder and harsher before they started to shudder and shriek. The sword blade that had been dripping with blood was shining from a gluttonous red to a harsh bright white light that got brighter and brighter an r-

…

..

.

..

…

When the light finally died down, Mika was on his knees in a circle of astonished soldiers and a shattered sword in his lap.

"Mikaela, correct?" the instructor asked quietly and Mika realised his hand propping his back was the only thing stopping Mika from falling to the floor. The load on his lap lightened as the hooded vampires carefully levitated the sword pieces into a box one by one, before sealing it with a layer of Dark magic.

Mika realised the instructor was waiting for his reply but oddly enough, he hadn't berated him. There was a strange shine in the normally strict eyes. He picked himself up self-consciously and said, "Yes."

"It appears you have an affinity towards Light magic," the instructor continued and a new wave of barely heard whispers broke out among the soldiers. "Our regular swords aren't designed for heavy magical strain. Can you perform any spells?"

"I don't know any magic. It was just a mistake."

The instructor simply _looked_ at him, then at the broken shards of the once intact sword being carried away. Mika corrected himself, "I didn't know I could do magic."

"Try a basic flame spell. Picture the flame in your hand and chant _elafris_."

Wanting to be anywhere but there, Mika raised his left hand and recited the spell monotonously. A few long moments passed before a small white flame coughed up in his palm, then died out just as fast. The instructor's shoulders slumped a little before he shook his head and assured Mika, "Magic is a very rare ability, especially Light magic among vampires, and that is already more than most can achieve. I will talk to your…benefactor about developing your abilities and an alternative weapon."

As the instructor left Mika empty handed and moved on to the next person in line, Mika moved to the furthest end of the room. Although the session had resumed, order had not been fully restored. If anything there was a stirring wind as the previously covert side-glances had now become blatantly open stares.

Even in his shadowed corner, Mika was the centrepiece of attention.

The vampire who had been leaning forward in line to stare at him earlier sidled up to him. She opened her mouth but before she could speak, the session had ended and Mika was walking quickly out of the door.

"You shouldn't bother him," the vampire's companion commented from beside her. "You know who has laid claim to him."

She got no reply, and her almond shaped eyes sharpened as she observed her companions's obsessive gaze at the door.

"Teuta," she intoned lowly, warningly. Teuta finally turned to her, tugging her black hair loose of its bun so that it cascaded down to her waist in long waves. A wild smile was all Lusina needed to know to make her want to pinch her forehead.

Lusina said lowly, "Not this bad habit of yours again."

* * *

Mika was sitting on Ceres in outer space. Hanging in the midst of the asteroid belt, the dwarf planet was suspended amongst a vast array of rocks from huge rocks to tiny specks of particle sized dust clouds.

Logically speaking, he should be dead. But this was a dream and the sun behind his back felt like a warm comfort like a cosy sweater.

In front of him Michael was kneeling graciously, the glazed rivers of ice beneath his body luminous with the light of the sun and stars. As always, his very being held a sheen of white that radiated from his human form, as if a mere shell of flesh and flood could not completely contain his being.

"We are beings from beyond the boundary of the earth's surface," Michael carried on his lesson with his evenly smooth voice. "I am the Light, starlight and lightning. Lucifer is the Dark, cosmos and fire."

"Ying and yang," Mika murmured before he could stop himself. "You balance each other out."

Even though his face remained impassive as ever, the slight morphing of his lips indicated Michael was pleased. "As do Yuichirou and yourself. This is the Fate of the Beholders of the Eyes. The Beholders will have a natural inclination towards all magic, but you will find yourself overflowing with Light magic."

Michael inclined his head and a wave of Light magic enveloped them both as effortlessly as taking in a breath of air.

"Light magic's strength lies in healing whereas Dark magic's strength lies in destruction. You feel it, do you not?"

"I can feel it," Mika breathed, closing his eyes. He didn't have to look to see the sparks flying off the tips of his hair and fingers. "It's…alive. It wants to heal, to purge the vampire blood in me."

"Not yet," Michael simply said. "You have not reached your full magical maturity yet. Tell me what else you can feel."

Mika exhaled and put his hand to his chest. The Light magic leaped eagerly to his flesh, swirling around his torso and legs in circles, but he realised the magic was only reaching the surface of his skin. He felt like a hollow tube, a peaceful void in the core of his body.

"You're a being of lightning," Mika said slowly. "Lightning runs through darkness…but this emptiness inside me, waiting ready to be filled…could it be the other way around? Am I a conductor of Dark magic?"

He looked at Michael, like a student checking the teacher's facial expression to see if they got the right answer because usually Mika would be resolutely confident but this was _Michael_.

That pleased subtle aura was back on Michael's face and Mika felt a surge of electricity at the sight.

"My Beholders have always been intelligent, but you are truly a gift," Michael actually _smiled_ and Mika tried his hardest not to sit there for the rest of his dream with a blush. "You have the ability to conduct Yuchirou's Dark magic to use his destructive powers, just as Yuichirou can conduct your healing powers. The result is magic hundred times more powerful than what you could achieve on your own. The Beholders were always meant to work together, keeping peace and balance throughout the realms as its guardians."

Micahel fell silent and Mika was content to sit there with his mind running through this whole new world that had been opened up to him, revising all his conceptions and strategies and possibilities. After a long stretch of quiet Mika saw a slight downturn of Michael's lips, so small it would have been easy to miss if Mika wasn't so used to Michael by now.

He licked his own lips and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I do not wish to trouble you any further. Both of your and Yuichirou's suffering has stemmed from hosting us and this was not our intent. The Eyes were sacrificed as a gift, not as a burden."

"It's not your fault. You're already helping me by teaching me how to use my magic. It's the humans' and vampires' fault, not yours," Mika reassured, shaking his head bitterly.

"To speak plainly, Fate would not be pleased for my level of interference with your destinies," Michael revealed and the bolts of lightning running down his long hair rushed down rapidly. "But you two children are being manipulated by everyone and I shall not stand by it. Although perhaps my intentions are not completely selfless, it is only fair someone stands by your side Mikaela."

Tears welled up in Mika's eyes and Mika ducked his head, trying to hide behind his fringe. Michael leaned forward to wipe them away with his glowing white fingers and smiled again.

"Be bold, be courageous, be yourself Mikaela. I have faith you can save Yuichirou from the trials that approach."

Michael kissed Mika's forehead, like a parent's protection charm from the world out there.

"You must save him, for I wish to see my other half saved as well."

* * *

"We should not be doing this," Lusina hissed, running behind Teuta. "Entering Her Majesty's quarters is an offence enough to have us all beheaded, let alone to breaking in to see her charge. Do you wish to see another day living? Do you have an execution wish?"

"Shhh!" Lusina hushed and signalled for them to flatten themselves against the stone wall. Two of the Krul's personal guards were obstructing the doorway with their menacing spears. "Elemary!"

"Leave it to me," Elemary said half attentively, already moving his hands rapidly and forming his mouth into silent spell syllables. His hands began to glow black as an illusionary wall warped into existence, shielding them from view, as the real wall behind the backs thinned into air.

From underneath their hood, Elemary's hair burst loose of its tightly braided bun and smacked him in his face.

"I hate it when that happens," he groaned, trying to bunch up his hair and slip through the wall at the same time.

"If it weren't for Elemary's silencing spell, you idiots would all be dead," Fearce snickered from behind and then shut up as Lusina looked at him severely.

"His room should be here somewhere," Lusina muttered to herself as the group sneaked down the extravagantly long corridor behind the wall. "Check out this massive bathroom! Royalty really are on a whole different level."

"Which is why Her Majesty is going to execute you first when we're caught," Lusina added on darkly, mostly to Teuta's deaf ears at this point.

Teuta suddenly stopped and the other four vampires instinctively followed her lead and halted. She was stock still, staring wordlessly at something in front of her.

Looking at each others, the rest cautiously drew forwards to see what had made the very Teuta herself speechless. As soon as they followed her gaze, their mouths fell open.

In the gap of on open doorway, Mika was standing in his bedroom with his brow furrowed in concentration as if he were listening to an unknown voice. But what had made the normally composed vampires begin to tremble in shock was the sword that Mika was pulling out of his right hand in a rainfall of white sparks.

It was pure white and more intricately elegant than any of the gold filled chamber rooms of Krul's palace could have ever forged. It had swirls and engravings and pitch black gemstones that were as deep as an endless abyss. The fine blade was sharper than a thousand knives, emitting a blindingly bright light that was lapping eagerly at Mika's fingertips.

Any vampire would recognise it in a split second; it was the legendary sword of Michael.

Mika's right hand had a blood red stone shining with the same light.

 _Mikaela was the Beholder of the Eye of Michael._

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Please kindly leave a review 3


	20. Loyalty

**Song Playlist:** King and Lionheart by Monsters and Men

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

 **Loyalty**

 _/ˈlɔɪəlti/_

 _1\. the state or quality of being loyal_

 _[i. steadfast in allegiance to one's homeland, government or sovereign_

 _ii. faithful to a person, ideal, custom, cause or duty]_

 _2\. a feeling or attitude of devoted attachment and affection_

* * *

The magic fuelled street lamps set Sanguinem in an eerie green lighting, casting dramatic shadows over its arching bridges and European reminiscent architecture. If it weren't for the bulking pipes that chained the city together, the view could almost be called beautiful.

Lusina drew her cloak and the shadows of the city tighter around herself as she passed through the tightly packed buildings. Her breaths were even and silent, the patrol guards ignorant as she weaved semi circles around their routes. In her sweeping search, Lusina found herself treading the streets that were neither near the top amongst the looming palace nor at the bottom tiers where the livestock were kept penned, but were somewhere vaguely in the middle.

As she passed a deserted manor with no lights on inside, a familiar passionate voice drifted from high above.

Lusina halted and her shoulders relaxed minutely.

She swiftly leapt up, pushing her fingers against the decorated corbels to scale the wall in a few effortless leaps. As she landed on the occupied flat roof, her hood fell back to reveal closely cropped hair and almond shaped eyes.

"Elemary," Lusina straightened up severely, greeting the nearest vampire. "Why am I not surprised you are all idling on another rooftop again?"

Said Elemary made what could have been a hushing noise or a particularly obscure mutter to himself. He was siting cross-legged on one of the many abandoned crates, head bent low as his pen rapidly flew back and forth in barely legible notes and magic diagrams.

"It's no use," a sardonic voice told Lusina. She turned to see Fearce lounging on several crates as if it were the most comfortable bed in the realm. One hand was nestled under his head while the other was rolling a pocket blade between his fingers. "There's no helping him when he gets in that mode."

"That is true," Lusina conceded and as Fearce drew his knees to make space, she sat down composedly. Fearce's eyes flickered to her with shielded respect before flopping his head to look at the other two vampires on the rooftop.

Petra was sitting on the cobblestones with her back resting against a crate. She fiddled with the end of her ponytail, tucking stray strands behind her pointed ears as she kept her borderline religious attention on Teuta as she spoke.

"—and as punishment, they were separated and God placed a curse on them; the flowers of Manju shall never meet the leaves of Saka again-"

Teuta, whose voice Lusina had been tracking for the past half hour. With one foot propped up on a crate, she was embellishing her story with enthusiastic gestures that sent her wavy waist length flying as if it had an energy of its own.

The sight, just like Teuta herself, was hard not to be captivated by.

"What wild story has she deemed to impart on you this time?" Lusina sighed, trying to keep a straight face.

"A folktale about two star crossed elves who defied fate to meet each other. They fell in love but could never cross paths again as punishment," Fearce summarised perfectly all while appearing singularly disinterested in the entire ordeal.

"What an unusually depressing tale for Teuta," Lusina murmured. She raised her voice and called out, "Well? Is that how the story should end?"

"Lusina! You're finally here!" Teuta perked up. "Of course that's not how it ends! If their hearts are strong enough, nothing can stop their devotion and they will find a way against fate to meet again."

And Teuta said it as if it were the obvious truth even though such heartful emotions were the exact opposite of a vampire's biological nature. Yet when Teuta said those words, they were powerful enough to stir the same blasphemous emotions in the hearts of the four other vampires.

They were the strays, the odd ones out who didn't belong in any political faction nor did they wish to. Instead Teuta had somehow bought them all together one by one- or rather, was it them who had been magnetised to her bright personality? Either way when Teuta wandered around the rooftops because she said it was the closest she could feel to the vast open skies in the human realm, they followed.

When Teuta wanted to break into the Queen's private quarters because of her insatiable curiosity, they followed.

Now Lusina was standing frozen in shock, her body as rigid as Teuta's in front of her as they watched the classmate they knew as Mikaela stand poised in a shower of white sparks. With the right hand that was embedded with the legendary Eye of Michael, he traced one finger lightly down the sword of Michael. Upon his mere touch Light magic burst forth and circled joyfully around his wrist, as if he were a blazing sparkler.

Then those blue eyes bled to red and turned dangerously to catch them spying behind the gap in the doorway. Time stretched like an elastic band as Mikaela held all of their gazes at once, not moving nor speaking as if he was planning something.

It felt electrifying, as if Lusina's soul was being judged from every tiny crack and crevice that could be torn apart to inspect.

Then Mikaela blinked, the crimson blood hue fading away from his eyes like a spirit leaving the host it was possessing. He blinked again, then jolted and stumbled away from the vampires as if seeing them for the first time.

Just like always, it felt natural to follow Teuta's lead as she dropped to the floor on one knee, bent her head low and declared oh so treacherously, oh so passionately, "Your Highness!"

* * *

Mika's consciousness slipped out of his grasp as smoothly as a bead of water rolling down a leaf. In the fuzzy static electricity that followed, he had the dim impression of his limbs moving without his will, his flesh and blood no longer his own.

A few moments later, the world came back into focus from vague blurs to detailed lines and shapes. To his confusion, he was now facing the doorway—

—intruders there were vampires in his private quarters whywhenhowlong—

—his Eye was out in the open they had found out would they attack would they kidnap him how could he be so careless—

A thousand thoughts jammed through Mika's mind as he went through a minor panic attack. He stumbled backwards in agitation, chest squeezing so tight it felt like it was trying to squeeze him to a second untimely death.

If word spread out that Mika was a Beholder, Krul would cage him forever to lay her claim and then how was Mika ever going to get out of this prison and save Yuu?

No, Mika would just have to kill these intruders before that could happen.

Just as Mika's fist clenched hard enough on his sword hilt to whiten his knuckles, all his plans were thrown off centre. None of his years of intensive long-term plans had factored in something like _this_.

Five vampires bowing to him in the exact same position Mika had seen countless others submit to Krul, and on top of that calling him…Your…Highness?

"Mikaela," Mika said slowly, keeping his sword raised and the vampires within his sight. "The Beholders aren't just powerful 'guardians', are they?"

 _You have noticed quickly, came the even response in his head. No, the Beholders are the magical rulers of the human realm even if ordinary humans are unaware of their existence. They keep peace between the Light and Dark species as leaders over each respectively._

Mika fell silent, staring at the vampires who were still kneeling as if they were prepared to stay in that uncomfortable position until Mika acknowledged them.

 _The closest equivalent humans have are Kings and Queens, although your status is higher than that. These vampires wish to pledge their allegiance to you. I have assessed them and they are loyal in their intent._

"So it was you who made me look at the doorway," Mika muttered, scrubbing his face with his hand. "I'm no leader, not anymore. And if even I'm supposed the leader of the Light, why are Dark creatures suddenly bowing to me?"

"Your Highness, if I may have permission to speak," Lusina spoke up carefully, still not looking up. If any of them were perturbed by Mika talking to apparent thin air, they certainly won't showing it. "You are correct that vampires have traditionally adhered to the Dark magics, but in this day and age there are many liberals who will follow whoever has the strongest power.

"You would betray your Queen so easily?" Mika said cuttingly, his tone as cold as a glacier. "Would you betray me with the same ease, filthy scum?"

"Your Highness—"

"No!" Teuta cried out, ignoring Lusina's half berating, half worried glare at her blatant disrespect. "Your Highness, we would never betray you! A Beholder of the Eye, an long lost legend- to serve you is the highest honour. Please, accept our allegiance!"

Mika was taken aback by the earnest devotion on her face that almost made him forget that the creatures before him were filthy vampires, creatures just as despicable and untrustworthy as humans. Both species had destroyed everything precious to Mika and yet…why was he hesitating now?

"You…why are you so—"

A chiming noise cut off Mika's words and the vampires sprang to their feet, hands flying to their sheathed swords. In the blink of an eye Mika was in a protective circle of vampires, their backs wide open for him to cut through.

It was the perfect opportunity to get rid of this headache inducing problem.

Instead, Mika found himself pushing past Elemary and Petra who rushed out of his way as soon as he moved. He stilled the swaying bell above his bedrest and watched the magic glow disappear into the air.

"Krul is summoning me," he muttered and felt a thrum of sadistic amusement from the fearful reaction his words spurred. Mika dropped his hand and let the Eye of Michael sink into his skin again, his sword fizzing away into stardust and light particles.

"Just…wait here," Mika said, before making his voice as deep as he could. "If you make contact with a single soul about me or drop the smallest obscure hint, I'll kill you. Don't think that I can't track you down with my Eye and gut you apart."

Then Mika tugged his high collar down, displaying his gold bejewelled choker in clear sight before adding impassively, "And Krul won't even bat an eye about it."

With those parting words, Mika strode out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him.

There was silence before Fearce let out a low whistle and said with too little sarcasm, "Damn. I think I'm in love."

"Fearce!"

* * *

"I wonder what His Highness is talking about with Her Majesty," Petra sighed, hugging her knees to her chest. "It's been a long time."

Lusina didn't say anything as she leant against the wall, arms crossed. Elemary was on the other side of the enormous bedroom with his face hovering inches away from the summoning bell, scrutinising the magic apparatus from every angle without touching it. Meanwhile Teuta and Fearce, having dubiously settled their heated argument about whether it was appropriate for a subject to _hypothetically_ be involved with their master, were now sitting cross legged opposite each other in a complicated hybrid game of knives and cards.

"Teuta, you cheat like a novice."

"Says the vampire who has their sleeves full of cards."

"Heh. It's only cheating if you can prove it."

"Well, in _that_ case—"

"I'm going to stretch my legs," Lusina interrupted, already walking over to the door. The gold handle was already under her hand when the others caught on to her departure.

"Is that really okay? Didn't His Highness want us to stay here and wait for him to return?" Teuta asked with a frown.

"I'll be back before he returns. Do you really think me irresponsible?"

Unable to refute that question, Teuta nodded her assent and Lusina closed the door to the sight of her shuffling a new round of cards while Fearce shamelessly slipped one into his pile.

Lusina shook her head and began to walk down the corridor, feeling her legs uncramping as she stretched them. Like before there were no guards in this area, probably to give His Highness privacy. Still to be safe, Lusina kept away from the main doors and spread out her senses for any sounds or scents.

Just as she turned around a corner, a hand shot out as fast as a viper and elongated fingernails dug into her neck.

* * *

Mika stormed into his room with his face as dark as a thundercloud. He struck his fist into the wall, barely satisfied as it sunk under his force into a mini crater. It took all his willpower to simply stand breathing heavily instead of lashing out like he wanted to.

He could hear voices cautiously, fearfully calling out to him. He ignored them. An unseen power was making his hair rise and small currents were starting to crackle on his skin.

 _Mikaela, calm down._

Miachel's voice, like always, was soothing in its rumbling all encompassing power as if to remind Mika that he was not alone in this. Mika closed his eyes and let himself focus on that voice, reassessing and rearranging his network of mental plans as he did so.

When he opened his eyes again, four of the vampires were standing nearby with worried faces.

"One of you is missing," he realised, trying to divert their attention from his ugly breakdown.

"Lusina should be back any minute," Elemary said quietly, as if approaching a wounded animal. "She just went to stretch her legs. Your Highness, is everything okay?"

"I…"

Mika looked to the floor. He hated what he was going to say, knew that if Yuu could hear him now he would hate him too but if it could give him the chance to rescue Yuu, Mika was willing to drag himself through whatever hell he needed to.

He stood up tall and made his decision.

"Krul has forbidden me to fight on the frontlines of the battle. She told me I'm to stay by her side when we go to battle, protected at all times where it's safe and away from the danger. But that's not what's going to happen. I have someone precious to me I need to save, and I'll kill every vampire and human that tries to stop me from getting to where he is."

Mika walked forward until he was eye to eye with them and continued solemnly, "If you join me, your hands will have the blood of your own comrades. You'll be a traitor to your own species and betraying the Queen herself. Can you still say you want to pledge yourself to me?"

In unison, the vampires clasped their hands over their chests and replied in absolute reverence, "Yes, Your Highness!"

For in that moment with his eyes full of conviction, Mika didn't know that he had begun to radiate a soft white light that draped over his shoulders like a royal cloak and for a split second, a crown of stars flickered into sight and kissed his luminous hair.

The moment was shattered when clapping filled the air, slow and heavy.

Mika spun around and saw Ferid draped across the doorway with a smirk on his face. He began to walk over to Mika with swaying hips and an unholy glee in his face.

"Oh my, it looks like I've opened the door to some treacherous plotting," he practically sang and he spread his arms wide. "Whatever will our Queen think of this?"

"L-lord Ferid," Petra stuttered, trembling fiercely in terror. "This isn't- we aren't—"

"Lusina, where have you…" Teuta said, having noticed the vampire that had followed Ferid into the room before trailing off with a look of disbelief.

"That's right! Your little soldier here told me _everything_. So Mika here is a Beholder, and you all want to serve him instead of our Queen?"

When everyone turned their eyes to Lusina, she just shrugged and said, "It's the truth."

"You traitor!" Teuta growled like an enraged lion, leaping forward and punching Lusina in the face. There were several crunching noises and blood began to pour out of her nose and mouth, but Lusina didn't react other than giving Teuta a twisted red stained smile.

Teuta grabbed her by the collar and was about to punch her again when Mika finally spoke up in annoyance.

"Ferid, stop fucking around. You've known about me from the start and you're the one trying to topple Krul over yourself, so what are you really here for?"

Ferid's smile only widened and the tension partially seeped out of the room as the others realised they weren't actually in danger of being executed, although Teuta kept her clenched hold at Lusina.

"My my Mika, I was only having some fun. You can have your playthings if you want to. But I'm here because a little bird told me you aren't happy with Krul's mothering."

"So what? Get lost."

"Ah, but I can help you with that. Darling Mika, if you agree to enlist as my backup I'll take you straight to the frontlines to the heart of the battle before Krul notices."

Mika narrowed his eyes and asked, "Just like that? Don't try to fool me. What's your catch?"

"Me? I just want to spend some time with you. It'll be amusing, won't it? Fun things always happen around you. Krul looks so cute when she's riled up too, it really makes my heart race faster. So, do we have a deal?"

As the bloodstain on his red carpet from Lusina's mangled face grew, Mika ignored Ferid's offered hand and said instead, "Deal."

* * *

 **Author's notes:** My last exam is in less than a week but I managed to write this chapter in between. In case you hadn't noticed the vampires in this chapter are the same ones from Chapter 10 (bonus points if you can guess who is who). Also I have no idea if this fic has any fanart, but if anyone ever does draw any it would probably send me to an early heaven. If you share a link with me I'll make a bonus chapter to post artworks on with links and full credit to the artists! Same goes for anyone who wants to translate it to other languages- just send me a link so I can promote it here where readers can find it.

Notes: Please kindly leave a review!


	21. Cleave

**Song playlist** : Let the River In by Radical Face

 _Don't scare me off now, I'm your only friend_

 _But now you're drifting away_

 _Now you're floating along_

 _And soon you'll disappear_

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

 **Cleave**

 _/kliːv/_

 _1\. to separate or cause to separate, especially along a natural weakness_

 _2i. stick or hold together and resist separation_

 _ii. to remain faithful_

* * *

"Yuu, where are you?" Mika mumbled to himself.

He was sitting with his knees hunched to his chest and his only company his own gnawing thoughts. The dreamscape was a barren stretch of emptiness, Mika feeling too melancholy to create a captivating landscape without Yuu to be captivated by it.

The intervals between Yuu visiting his dreams were growing longer and longer like a gaping abyss. Was Yuu forgetting to think of Mika before sleeping so they could meet? Was he too busy spending time with his new allies in that team of his?

…was Mika…being replaced?

Mika tugged on the golden thread floating from his right hand and wrapped it obsessively like a cocoon around his pinky finger. Then he drooped his finger in a circle in the air, watching as a flower sprung up to meet his touch, then another, then another until soon he was curled up in an circle of white petaled daisies.

Just as the number of daisies was crossing the border from many to worryingly excessive, Mika caught sight of movement in the corner of his eye. He leapt to his feet with a wide stretched smile.

The smile didn't last long as Mika stiffened.

Yuu had arrived, but something was _wrong_. His body was slumped and his eyes were lethargic as if he wasn't aware of his surroundings. Mika's breath choked his throat as he saw the thick decaying tendrils crawling over Yuu's back, oozing pungent tar and merging together with Yuu's limbs like a sick parasite.

The golden thread on Yuu's end was completely taken over by corroding black rust that shut out all of its once brilliant light.

"Yuu!"

Mika cried out and leapt forward past the daisies crumbling to charred ash. His right hand stretched out to grab Yuu, to do _anything,_ but Yuu was fading away before his very eyes. The night sky above dimmed from black to a washed out grey and the thread wrapped around Mika's finger slipped loose.

As the last loop unravelled, Yuu had disappeared and the tears clinging to the brink of Mika's lashes let go.

* * *

Mika woke up with a wet face and his lips still parted loose with Yuu's name. In his struggle to stand up, his legs were ensnared by his richly embroidered bed quilts before he finally broke free. Staggering to his feet, Mika spun his whole body towards the door like a teetering spinning top and then stopped.

Silvery translucent like a ghost, Michael was sitting on a high backed chair that Mika last remembered being in front of his dressing table but was now in front of the door. Krul's royal furniture could barely compare to Michael's divine presence and yet his otherworldly robes and lightning filled hair draped over the sculpted wood and velvet as if it were the finest throne.

Mika grit his teeth and strode forward. Michael did not move. When his eyes darted to the gap between the chair and the doorframe, a breath taking pair of white wings unfolded from thin air and smoothly filled the space in silent reproach.

Clenching and unclenching his hands, Mika pleaded, "Michael, let me go. I need to go. _Yuu needs me_."

 _Do you know,_ Michael said evenly, his voice resounding in Mika's head like in his dreams, _Why you cannot pass?_

"Michael, _please_."

It was quietly that Michael imparted his next words.

 _Your hand is shaking._

Mika looked uncomprehendingly at his right hand, the very same hand that had failed to reach Yuu in his dream, and realised for the first time that it was terrorised with tremors. He tried to still it to no avail and felt his eyes grow hot once again.

A transparent hand covered his. Looking up, Mika saw that Michael was now standing in front of him with one long arm outstretched like an unfurling lotus. His touch too was like in his dreams; feather light yet electric like a warm chill.

Mika steadied his breathing to the strokes of Michael's elegant fingers until the shaking subsided and his mind felt clearer than before.

He met Michael's gaze once more and everything that needed to be said did not need any words.

"You won't let me pass because I'm not…thinking things through properly," Mika finally broke the silence. The words were difficult and heavy on his tongue, reluctant to be realised. Mika let them linger awkwardly for a few seconds before saying frustratedly, "I know you're always teaching me not to rush into things but it's _hard_ just to wait while Yuu could be being tortured or in pain right now. You saw the dream didn't you?"

 _If Yuuichirou is physically in dire pain, you would be feeling the rebound through the bond. The only certainty is that something is interfering with his Eye and corrupting his side of the soul bond._

Mika noticed that Michael, whom he had never seen as anything less than impeccably self-controlled like a marble statue, had tightened his grip on Mika's hand ever so slightly.

"You're worried about Lucifer," Mika blurted, not sure why he was so surprised. For the first time, he noticed the lightning storm brimming just beneath Michael's aura. "You...care about him, really deeply."

 _More than the entire constellation of realms on every plane of existence,_ Michael murmured like an ancient promise. His body was loosing its opacity and he looked like he knew it. His fingers gently guided Mika's right hand towards him until the back of Mika's hand brushed against his right eye. With one last shimmer, Michael floated in a cloud of silver into the Eye until no trace was left except for his voice in Mika's head.

 _Your magical ability is growing fast for me to be able to manifest my presence already. The day of your magical maturation must be near. Mikaela, I do not wish for you to make the same mistakes as I did. You have more companions than Yuuchirou and I, and one of them awaits outside your door._

As Mika reached for the doorknob, Michael's last words were, _My Beholder, will you allow your own prejudice to hold you back?_

He opened the door and immediately wished he hadn't.

Lusina was kneeling in front of him, her limbs rigid as if she had been there for hours. Her clothes were noticeably tidy and clean of blood but her face looked distorted as if the bones had set wrong.

"Your Highness!" She immediately sank into a bow perfect enough to make even their strict sword instructor impressed, with one knee bent and her hand clasped against her chest. "I have been waiting for my punishment for acting against your orders yesterday."

Mika stared wordlessly.

"I will accept my death at your hands, Your Highness."

Face settling in a neutral mask, Mika turned his back wide open to Lusina and impartially said, "Come inside."

He waved a hand without looking at the red and gold sofas in front of his fireplace as he walked towards his cabinets. A slight of his hand and a slight bit of magic had the teapot water now boiling hot and he assembled the tray with immaculate order. When he carried the silver tray over, Lusina was sitting on the edge of the smallest sofa.

Mika leisurely poured the tea into two fine china teacups and settled back against his cushion. The tealeaves tasted hand picked and expensive, as always.

With small sips, the cup was eventually reduced to dregs. Mika poured himself another. On his fourth cup, Lusina finally began to fidget; a few stray looks, a small repositioning of her legs, nothing more.

"You're resigned to your fate and came here to own up," Mika finally spoke up when his stomach was starting to hurt. "So you're someone who takes duty very seriously and is reliable. You can also keep yourself composed in the face of death no matter how long the wait. In an army you'd be best suited for a leadership position but you lack the passion of a general- a strategist or resources organiser then."

Lusina looked surprised and Mika elaborated, "Michael has been teaching me this tea drinking method for assessing a person's character. I'm not going to execute you, or punish you, or whatever ridiculous idea you've come up with."

"I betrayed you. I revealed everything to Lord Ferid and led him here," Lusina insisted gravely.

"And yet when you entered the room after Ferid, the first thing you did was look frantically for that one vampire before looking completely relieved when you saw her."

It was probably a good thing Lusina's teacup hadn't moved an inch from the tray since she entered, as her entire body jolted before quickly stiffening.

"So what did Ferid say he'd to her if you didn't spill up?"

"…How did you…?"

Mika swirled his tea, watching the ripples overlap his reflection, before settling the cup down. "You're not that only one that bastard has blackmailed before. So, what was it?"

Clenching her fists against her knees, Lusina began to talk. "Your Highness, Teuta pledged herself to you without hesitation because of her loyalty, but she has also been fixated on you for a long time because she feels like she relates to your…situation."

"Stop being vague and get to the point," Mika cut in lowly.

"My apologies, Your Highness. I was referring to your half human, half vampire status…if that is correct?" Lusina asked cautiously as if in fear of offence. Mika had never felt so self-conscious of his blue eyes and rounded ears but nodded shortly for the sake of the conversation.

"As you may probably be aware Your Highness, vampires are fallen angels with corrupted souls. Usually the corrupted souls fall from the Heaven realm to the Underworld realm where they grow into new bodies. But something went wrong with Teuta's soul and she fell into the human realm, leaving her to wander amongst the humans until she was found and recollected. The human characteristics she picked up have left a long lasting impression though."

"Wouldn't that make her a social outcast amongst the vampires, or at least on the bottom of the hierarchy?" Mika asked before he could stop himself.

"We are all outcasts in some way, Your Highness," Lusina said simply. "With her status it would be easily overlooked if a noble like Lord Ferid decided to kill her, or to take her captive or to do as he wished…"

"So that's how he blackmailed you." Mika stared at his half full cup of tea as the vampire who had been willing to get beaten up by her comrade and punished by him just to keep silent about her sacrifice sat silently. His shoulders dropped and he buried his head in his hands, the cold front he had been struggling to maintain melting away by more than the hot fireplace.

"Dammit Yuu, how am I supposed to hate vampires when they do stuff like this?" he muttered fiercely. Deep inside, he knew why he felt so rattled.

Mika would have done exact same thing for Yuu.

Michael's parting words rose in his mind, bouncing off the walls repeatedly until he couldn't take it anymore. He suddenly moved over to Lusina, determination fuelling his bones with adrenaline, as he hovered his hands over Lusina's startled face and chanted aloud, " _Therapévo_."

"Your Highness?!"

 _Mikaela no—_

But it was too late. As soon as the healing spell began to glow its white Light magic, Mika could already tell something was wrong. The nose rearranged itself with a shuddering crack and bones realigned with medical textbook accuracy, but at the same time Lusina's skin was beginning to disintegrate into luminous white particles.

"Michael, what's happening?!" Mika cried in alarm. He cut off his spell and moved his hands away, making Lusina fall sideways onto the sofa limply with her eyes fluttered shut. Her skin was still shining with Light magic as the disintegration continued at a slower pace.

There was a small peaceful smile on her face.

 _Vampires are corrupted souls. Your healing Light magic is purifying her and sending her back to the Heaven realm, Michael explained, his voice quicker than usual in the urgency of the situation._

"My magic is sending Lusina _back to heaven?_ "

" _What?_ " someone's muffled voice echoed Mika's alarm.

The door slammed open unceremoniously and Teuta burst inside as she stared in abject horror at Lusina's lifeless figure. For once, she gave no heed to Mika as she rushed over to the sofa. She grabbed Lusina by both shoulders and shook her like a ragdoll, trying to get her to wake up while calling her name desperately.

"Lusina! Lusina!"

There was no response. Teuta wrapped both of her arms painfully tight around Lusina and ordered, "Don't disappear, you're my best friend, don't you dare disappear on me."

As Lusina's head lolled onto her chest, her voice cracked and she begged with a broken plea, "Please, _don't leave me alone_."

"I can't send her back like this," Mika said distantly as something in his heart clenched. If Teuta had shorter hair, it was like looking at a reversed scene from his and Yuu's past. He knelt next to Teuta and commanded with an iron will, "Michael, tell me how to stop this. I won't allow it."

There was a strange tingling warmth from Michael as he replied, _As you wish_.

Mika would later look back and realise it was the rare gifted mantle of proud approval.

* * *

Lusina's eyes opened to a muddled blackness, then the bizarre scene of Teuta dumping sugar into her teacup like it was going out of style while Mika ignored her in favour of a thick book. She counted five teaspoons before she nearly physically couldn't let it go on any longer.

"Teuta, stop."

The teaspoon fell mid air, spraying sugar wildly all over the table. Teuta moved like a deadly hurricane as she knocked her sofa sideways to grab Lusina's shoulders.

"Lusina!" she snarled, her face taut with fury. "How dare you try to move on to the afterlife without me? How dare you let Lord Ferid blackmail you because of _me_ , and then have the _nerve_ to hide it? How dare you…"

Her mouth moved wordlessly as if left speechless in anger but then her head slowly leant forward until it was resting against Lusina's shoulder.

"Why…?"

There was a heavy silence before Lusina softly spoke.

"Aren't we...friends?"

"I thought you always said vampires don't have friends, only allies and enemies," Teuta said slowly in disbelief but Lusina wasn't meeting her burning gaze. A grin began to blossom over Teuta's face and she laughed bright and loud and a bit tearfully.

Mika's book thudded shut, drawing both of their attention to him. The heavy hard backed volume was now balanced on his lap as he crossed his legs and watched Lusina and Teuta with reminiscence in his eyes.

"Lusina, your body was stabilised by tying your soul to Teuta's," Mika stated factually, not reacting to the shock that elicited from Lusina. "Rest tonight so you can recover fully for our departure with Ferid tomorrow. If one of you dies the other will be severely compromised, so factor it into your strategy plans for battle. I expect a detailed report for all my subject's strengths, weaknesses and fighting patterns tomorrow morning including your own."

Lusina's eyes widened in pleasant surprise before she lowered into a bow and promised, "Yes, Your Highness! I will make you proud, I swear. Teuta we've imposed long enough on His Highness, we'll be taking our leave now."

"Lusina," Mika interrupted them on their way out. "Next time, feel free to actually drink some tea with me when you visit."

He felt his old mischievous spark reigniting as Lusina apologised as close to flustered as she came before leaving with Teuta in tow. He shook his head with a smile of his own and glanced at the assorted jumble of teacups and scattered sugar grains that were left behind from his guests.

If these two vampires could reconcile, there was certain hope for him and Yuu too. He would find him and save him from whatever danger that was looming, no matter what.

* * *

That night, Mika stood alone in an empty dreamscape. He was calling Yuu's name over and over again until his voice turned hoarse...

..

.

..

...but nobody came.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** Please kindly leave a review


	22. Collision

Song Playlist: The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy

 _We are the jack-o-lanterns in July_

 _Setting fire to the sky_

 _He-here comes this rising tide_

 _So come on_

* * *

 **Chapter 22**

 **Collision**

 _/kəˈlɪʒ(ə)n/_

 _1\. an event in which two or more bodies or particles come together with a resulting change of direction and, normally, energy_

 _2\. the conflict of opposed ideas, wishes, attitudes_

* * *

A wind was on the rise, like a beast awakening from a deceitfully calm slumber. With the changing currents tousling his hair, Mika didn't care for the bumps in the nearly collapsed truck roof he was sitting on. The sky was bluer than he had ever remembered; the uplifting wind fresher than the stagnant suffocation of Sanguinem could ever offer.

It would have been almost enjoyable, if Mika were deplorable enough to treat this as an idle trip and not a rescue mission on the battlefield in Shinjuku.

There was also the problem of the sickeningly deplorable company.

"You know Mika, you don't have to keep pretending your pet followers aren't hiding nearby. I know they've been stalking us ever since you snuck away from Krul, like the little doggies they are," Ferid chuckled from beside Mika. Unlike Mika, he stood proud and tall uncaring for how big a target it made him.

Mika rolled his shoulders against the itch in his back, one then the other, and didn't bother looking at Ferid.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said monotonely. In a torn off car mirror caught between two pieces of rubble, Mika's face flickered into one not his own. Whiter, inhumanely whiter, and as subtly amused as Michael could get.

It was surprisingly hard not to let his own lips quirk upwards.

"What are you looking at with that kind of expression, hm?" Ferid's voice now lilted into his ear as he bent down to follow Mika's gaze. Fuck. Ferid's arm was light from muscle or fat, yet now it was pressing down heavily onto his shoulder. Luckily, when Mika let his eyes catch again on the mirror, Michael had vanished.

"Nothing," Mika replied, just as flat as before. He jumped down to the ground to break free of Ferid's arm and his white cloak flared up like wings. "Who did you say before was watching us?"

"Seems a new group of enemies are going to attack soon, led by that Lieutenant guy. Ah, what was his name again? Itchy nose?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose, leader of the Moon Demon Company," Mika recited before his brain could catch up with his mouth.

"Oho, I didn't know you knew the Imperial Army so… _intimately_ , Mika dear."

"Shut up. I pay attention in military class."

A bold faced lie. Mika couldn't give two shits about whatever messed up system the humans had spun for themselves, hierarchies within hierarchies within hierarchies. But when it came to Yuu, it was impossible to share dreams for four years and _not_ know about his Guren, from all the times Yuu would sulk about Guren missing their shared dinners together to the starry eyed gushing about how amazing his sword work was.

Ferid was talking, but Mika was only half listening. How long would Yuu sulk for if his Guren got killed….in fact, would he even stop sulking at all?

"I'll take care of him," Mika cut into whatever Ferid had been saying. "If my companions can kill one of the elite bounty headed humans, you can't whine about them following me. If they were here, hypothetically."

Mika walked away to the haunting sound of Ferid's mirthful laughter, as well as his parting call, "Sure thing, Mika darling."

It was like turning his back to an uncaged white leopard, biding the perfect time to pounce and sink its claws into him. Yet as he passed the broken car mirror, Michael was gliding along side him on the other side with his hair billowing and not a single strand out of place.

Prepared to fight, yet confident in victory yielding at his feet.

And as five uniformed figures flitted from the nearby shadows to Mika's side, Michael's cool reassurance seeped into him like a second skin and he allowed himself the fleeting luxury of a small smile.

"Capture the leader, not kill," Mika murmured without moving his lips once the distance away from Ferid was far enough. "And don't call me Your Highness in front of others."

Not another word was needed.

In one fluid movement, the vampires slid into Lusina's devised pentagon formation with Petra and Fearce in front, Elemary at the back and Teuta and Lusina protecting Mika's left and right. In the centre stood Mika, like the white king on a blood soaked chessboard.

They drew their weapons in unison and their faces smoothed from all expression, save for the glint in their eyes that made them glow with an unholy light.

A far off explosion sent shock waves of tremors and a building in the distance collapsed in itself like a stack of toothpicks falling, announcing the arrival of Guren and his company. As the billow of smoke began to die down, it parted like a curtain revealing the stage and all its tangled puppets.

Sayuri, choking on a gasp as Petra's sword cleaved straight through her shoulder from in front.

Goshi, with Fearce pressed against his back and several daggers digging into his neck like a hand of cards.

Shigure, on her back and staring in shock at her the chunk of flesh in front of her that used to be her right achilles tendon, even as Lusina's blade sank into her left one.

Mito, her cheek sinking under the weight of Teuta's clawed fist.

Elemary, standing on the edge of his magic circle as it lit up beneath everyone else's feet, trapping them inside like sheep in a slaughter pen.

Then there was Mika, who had his sword nicking into Guren's bare throat hard enough to draw a trickle of blood; a promise of death. In a single breath span, the enemy was frozen in sheer shock before the clash of retaliating blades filled the air like the gears of time screeching forward.

The screams of agony of the humans were nothing but a distant white noise for Mika. He had garnered enough from Yuu's ramblings to guess how slippery his opponent could be.

"Elemary, binding spell!" were the first words to leave his lips as soon as his sword had touched Guren's neck. A wave of black magic pulsed from where Elemary stood and wrapped itself around Guren once, twice, ten times, until Mika was certain even death throes wouldn't let him move an inch. He was completely bound, from his toes to top of his mouth.

Mika raised his hands and making sure his eyes didn't close out of habit of concentration, incanted, " _Anypsono._ "

This time his Light magic seemed even more eager than before to leap at his command, a feat Mika would have previously thought impossible, as if it was held back only by a weakening barrier. Just as it lifted his human cocoon in the air, Mika's back pulsed in pain and Guren nearly slipped from his levitation.

"Y—sir! Are you okay?" Petra cried out, the closest to Mika in that moment. She couldn't look away for long as even while heavily injured, Shigure managed to strike at her in her distraction.

"I'm fine, don't lose attention," Mika ordered, straightening himself up with sheer willpower. Petra nodded and leapt back into her battle, her usually timid demeanour now more closely resembling a fierce lion with each sword clash ringing loud. Ignoring the now throbbing pain, Mika strengthened his spell with more chains of Light magic and carried his captive outside the circle with a nod to Elemary.

With nimble leaps, Mika ascended up a towering building just as deserted as the rest in the city. Having deemed it a safe distance from the fight and its distractions, he tossed Guren to the dust like a bag of trash and dragged him by a fistful of hair to the edge of the roof.

He stood there face to face with the human who, even though Yuu would probably punch himself in the face repeatedly before admitting it, was like a father to Yuu.

Mika was suddenly, inexplicably, furious.

"How dare you," he hissed, pushing Guren further back so the only thing keeping him from plummeting to his death was Mika's white knuckled grip. "How dare you pretend to attack Yuu when he was grieving over our family? How dare you miss his dinners when he spent hours sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for you to come? How dare you be such a jerk to him, make fun of him…tease him all the time…."

Mika's vision swam blurrily and he shook Guren forcefully, just to shake away that pathetically weak feeling.

"How dare you be there for him when I couldn't, be there by his side all these years and not appreciate him…?"

He half lifted his arm to scrub his eyes hard before looking at Guren in the face again. With his mouth still bound shut, Guren's gaze was a raging fire of emotions so intense Mika could barely make out one consuming flame from the other.

Superiority.

Self-hatred.

Recognition.

Guilt.

"Why do you look guilty?" Mika asked, his mind steadying back into logical analysis. It was like everything was a jigsaw puzzle, with all the scattered pieces finally in front of him— if only he could work out how to put them together. "You know what's wrong with Yuu, don't you?"

The guilt, previously a flimsy tendril, now flashed strong in Guren's eyes before he quickly masked his face with confident apathy.

Mika shoved Guren back even further until Guren was half dangling off the edge. He used his Light magic to push the binds down from Guren's mouth and growled, "Tell me where Yuu is, what you've done to him and who else is involved, _now_."

Then the human had the _nerve_ to tighten his lips and slowly shake his head before lifting his shoulders in a lazy shrug, all while deliberately holding Mika's savage gaze.

"You _fucking_ —"

" _Hey! Get away from Guren, you filthy bloodsucker!_ "

Mika's world stopped.

His cheeks flushed, his heart juddered against his ribcage and his lips parted loosely as if sweet surrender had seized his soul still.

" _Yuu_ ," Mika breathed.

Like a chain reaction, several domino events toppled each other in a fast blur.

Down below like tiny figurines, Yuu and his team of allies had arrived on the battlefield. One of them struck at Elemary's undefended back with a swing of her scythe, splitting open a festering wound that sent him collapsing on his knees. The magic circle faltered, allowing the new arrivals to leap inside to their fallen comrades' aid. At the same time, Elemary's bindings on Guren weakened enough for him to break free, pulling at Mika's arm to thrust himself forward and Mika teetering dangerously in an abrupt reversal of their previous positions.

Guren slapped a spell tag on Mika's back and pushed him over the edge.

For the second time in his life, Mika felt utterly terrified for himself.

His vision tilted, the rise and fall of wrecked rooftops becoming a narrow tunnel of outer walls parallel to his plummeting body. The wind, previously a soothing breeze, was now stripping mercilessly at his flesh and muscle until his very bones were whistling like hollow wind chimes. Prying his eyelids apart was painful with the dust and icy air searing into his eyeballs, yet even as his eyes watered Mika caught Yuu's gaze like a falling star marking its grave.

As he was halfway to the ground, Mika saw the exact moment Yuu's eyes stretched impossibly wide in disbelieving realisation.

" _Mika!?_ "

 _Mikaela!_

"Shit, shit, shit," Mika cursed. He couldn't die like this, not when he was so achingly close to meeting Yuu again.

The tag spell on his back began to smoke warningly, milliseconds away from destructing. Mika's chilled fingers fumbled on the clasp of his cloak before he tossed it as far above him as he could, spell tag and all. He had just brushed the hem away when it exploded into tattered smoking rags, charred beyond recognition.

Then Yuu was pushing determinedly off the ground, using the few intact window ledges on the first and second floor as footholds to jump upwards. He stretched his arms out to Mika and it was stupid, if Yuu caught him the weight would only send both of them falling back down injured or worse, but Mika couldn't stop his hand from reaching down yearningly.

It was like the agonising gap between contact in The Creation Of Adam, the painting in one of Mika's school books back from the orphanage.

It was like Mika's last dream with Yuu where Yuu had slipped between his fingers. Now Mika felt jarringly detached as if his dreams and reality where merging and he was seeing double vision.

Their fingertips brushed together and everything snapped into focus.

The wind slowed down to keep them afloat mid air, winding around their legs and arms in their own private invisible sphere. Clouds parted above and heavenly sunlight shone down on the both of them, tingling their skin and land marking their reunion to anyone who hadn't already stopped to stare. The world was brighter, more colourful, more vivid now that Yuu was with him in flesh and blood.

In all his dreams, nothing could compare to feeling the touch of his hands in person. Mika laughed aloud in sheer delight and clasped their fingers together, the heated touch between them sending literal white and black sparks flying.

"M-Mika? Is that really you?" Yuu whispered, stunned shock written all over his face.

"Yuu, I'm so happy to see you," Mika smiled with tearful eyes. His magic was ramming inside him, begging to be let loose, and now Mika finally understood. It felt natural to follow his instincts and let the magic erupt from his back, soothing the pain that had been harassing his shoulder blades for days now. Two wings burst loose and Mika gathered Yuu in his arms, gliding to the ground in a rainfall of white feathers that were luminous in the bright sunlight.

His body was a beacon of Light magic, glowing from his fingernails to eyelashes.

As soon as he touched ground, Mika staggered back a few steps as Yuu threw himself at Mika like a lifeline. His body was being squeezed harder than a plush toy as if Yuu was trying to shatter Mika's ribs.

"Yuu are you okay?" he asked frantically, feeling Yuu for any injuries or blood and finding none. "Where were you when you disappeared from our dreams? Were you kidnapped? Tortured?"

Yuu shook his head, his head still buried into Mika's chest and arms tight around him.

"Are you hurt?"

Another shake of his head but to Mika's alarm, Yuu had started to tremble violently.

"Yuu, talk to me, _please_."

"I thought you were dead," Yuu mumbled brokenly, his voice almost too quiet for Mika to pick up. Mika stiffened and when Yuu peered up at him, his cheeks were freshly wet. "Mika, I can't believe it…you…you're not a ghost, are you? All these years, and I…and you…you have a body and maybe you're an angel now, but you're _real_. You're _alive_. I just…just can't believe—"

Yuu broke off into a sob and Mika wanted to drive a stake into his own heart again and again for putting those tears on Yuu's face. He sank to his knees, hugging Yuu's waist and begging, "I'm sorry Yuu, I'm so sorry for lying to you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"

Yuu circled his arms again around Mika's neck and pressed his still damp face into Mika's hair. "It doesn't matter Mika. I don't care why or how. I'm just...so, _so_ glad you're alive. Thank you for being alive."

"Sir?" someone interrupted, making both of them jump. Mika sprang to his feet, not letting go of Yuu, and drew his wings in protectively. He glared at the intruder who shuffled uneasily in turn.

"Mika, I can't see anything," Yuu's muffled voice exclaimed and Mika hushed him.

"Fearce?" Mika asked, recognising his battered and bruised follower swaying on his feet. He scanned behind him quickly; he was alone. "Update the situation to me. Is everyone else alive?"

"The enemy were taken by surprise by your magic display and we took advantage of that weakness to subdue the first company that we attacked, including the leader. Elemary is the only one seriously injured and the others are tending to his wounds."

"You said the first company. What about Yuu's allies, the second team who arrived?"

"My allies? That's my squad, right? Are they okay? Mika come on, let me out of here," Yuu complained and shoved Mika's wing away. He tensed at the sight of another vampire, peering suspiciously between Fearce and Mika.

Fearce shifted on his feet before jerking his head to the side, out of Mika's line of sight. Mika turned to find the other four members of Yuu's team on the sidelines gathered on a cluster of rubble. Some were more bloodied up than others yet they were all watching him and Yuu with avid interest, while the tied up soldiers in the distance glared at them poisonously.

Yuu brightened up and waved enthusiastically at his allies. They returned his gesture with exasperated yet fond smiles, clearly prepared to wait until Yuu was ready to join them.

"When they saw you and your, uh, companion, they held off attacks aimed at you from the other humans. We deemed them harmless enough the leave alone and await further orders," Fearce explained while fiddling with the knives strapped to his thighs.

"You did well. Go help with Elemary until I join you," Mika assured. Fearce heaved a sigh of relief and saluted, sauntering away.

Mika looked again at Yuu's allies and felt goose bumps from the Ferid like grin the girl with the scythe was flashing at him. A name floated to mind from his dreams— this must be the one called Shinoa.

"Mika, what's going on? Why are you working with the vampires and having Guren's squad tied up?" Yuu asked, rubbing at his back. He grimaced and rubbed again harder, unbuttoning his collar to reach bare skin.

"Oh," Mika said, realising what was happening. "Yuu, listen to me. I'll explain later every last detail, I _promise,_ but right now your magical maturation is trying to happen. It must have been triggered by both us meeting, but for now you need to reach inside and—"

"My magical _what_ now?"

"Yuu, just _listen_. If you don't let it loose, it's going to get more and more painful until it drives you insane. I need you to believe in what I say and trust me, _please_."

Yuu's face was rapidly paling and had grown clammy in pain. He nodded shakily. "You know I always trust you Mika, I— ugh!"

"Yuu!" Mika cried out as Yuu doubled over, shaking and shivering like a rag doll. Low groans of pain needled out of his mouth like a helpless animal being tortured and Mika grabbed his shoulders frantically.

Shinoa raced up to them, the rest of his team at her heels. She knelt next to Mika, helping him hold a now writhing Yuu down, and fearfully urged, "What's wrong with Yuu?"

"This is all wrong, it's not supposed to go like this. Michael?" Mika asked desperately, blind to how nonsensical he might sound to his listeners.

Mika had never felt Michael's emotions so turbulent before, thrumming inside him like crashing waves in a storm.

 _Whatever is corrupting his side of the soul bond, is also corrupting his magical maturation— Mikaela, get away from him!_

Michael surged to the forefront of Mika's consciousness, pushing Mika to the backseat of control with an aggressiveness terrifyingly out of character. Mika watched, rather than acted, as his wings flared up twice their size and his hand lifted to wordlessly enclose his allies and followers in a magic shield. Even from his fuzzy dim view of the world, horror flooded Mika as Yuu screamed himself hoarse like that nightmarish night in the orphanage. The dislocated cracks of bones filled the air and a pair of black wings forced their way out of Yuu's back like a sick parasite. The oozing black tar from Mika's dream was now horrifyingly real, layered and dripping over Yuu's wings and mixed with chunks of bloody flesh.

Yuu's allies screamed and Mika didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse he couldn't do the same.

Yuu turned to face Mika, as if sensing he was the one holding the barrier, and raised his sword to the sky. His eyes were crimson and stripped of all recognition. He raised his sword to the sky, a mass of Black magic gathering at the blade tip like an eclipsed sun. Michael's hands were shaking as he strengthened the barrier, flashes of memories swimming through Mika's mind—

 _—Michael in a sea of grass dyed red, the blood seeping into his clothes and staining his fists, fallen on the floor as a man levelled his sword at his neck—_

 _—crimson eyes identical to his own, yet heart breakingly cruel in their indifference, as if the they weren't even—_

 _—I hated how you looked at me like a stranger, the man confessing as they met for the first time in bodies not their own, a fate also cruel in itself—_

Just as Yuu leaned his weight forward to swing his sword, several misty tigers shot forth from afar and pounced on Yuu ruthlessly. They exploded on contact into silvery whites and blues like a mockery of a fireworks display, obscuring Mika's vision with a heavy fog.

Yuu fell limp, his body lifeless and the red faded out of Mika's eyes. He rushed forward and when Shinoa grabbed him by the arm, he nearly snarled until the lines of human enforcements came into view, standing in perfect order like toy tin soldiers.

"I have to rescue Yuu before they capture him," Mika was arguing, shaking off Shinoa, but then magic chains were flying out of nowhere, capturing his limbs and dragging him through the dirt and debris. Mika gave a cry of alarm, struggling and twisting to no avail. His hands and feet were immobile, trussed up like ropes as if he were an animal sacrifice.

Mika could barely lift his head to see Yuu being chained up like him by several human magic users. Yuu's team were being apprehended as well, albeit with spell bound handcuffs instead.

A final tug sent Mika flying to the ground hard enough to make his resilient vampire skin bruise like rotten fruit. When he hissed in pain, a sharp heel dug into his stomach and his head was lifted by the hair by a furious Krul. A sizeable force of white uniformed soldiers stood in battle lines before her, geared up against the human army opposite them.

Krul's face was darker than thunder, her fangs in full sight in a macabre display of rage.

Kureto's silhouette stood at the head of the human soldiers, the once sparkling sunlight now a sinister bleak grey. His words to his awaiting servants were the exact same as Krul's to hers.

"Have him locked up."

* * *

Author's note: This update's chapter is nearly twice as long as usual to make up for the twice as long wait. Since it's long, any comments on typos etc are appreciated! This is officially where this fic will break off completely from the canon so gear yourselves up for the final few chapters.

Please kindly leave a review


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